


Ashura: A World of Swords and Magic

by Kman134



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Dwarves, Elves, F/M, Gen, Halflings, Harems, High Fantasy, Manga & Anime, Nudity, Swords & Sorcery, Undead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2018-11-18 12:51:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 40,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11291091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kman134/pseuds/Kman134
Summary: Akio, a high school boy, gets teleported to the world. when wandering, he meets the princess of the elves, Keya Aieadora, while saving her from human bandits by using kendo techniques and a stick. Akio then sets off on a journey with the princess, gathering new friends and creating a motley crew of power demi-humans girls.Later, he discovers why he was brought to Ashura and he and his harem must prepare for the coming of the dark Lord.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

_You ever had those days where you feel like you’re in a dream, but you’re wide-awake? A dream where your imagination takes you to a world of fantasy and make-believe, escaping the cruel problems of the real world? Well, the tale I’m about to tell you is something like that, except that it isn’t a dream._

I woke up to find myself in a mysterious forest.

 _Wait…this isn’t my bedroom!_ I was confused and shocked, scanning my newfound environment in a panicked manner.

I found myself laid back against a fallen tree. Without hesitation, I stood up and started walking east, or at least what I thought was east. I wandered in hopes of finding any sign of civilization. Unfortunately, all there was were more trees. I walked for almost an hour and I was starting to get scared. My breath became heavy as beads started falling from my brow. I was afraid I would be lost and that nobody might find me. Hell, I was even scared how much of a burden my disappearance would be to my parents. Suddenly, my distraught was nearly over. The sun shines through an opening up ahead.

I dashed towards it and when I made it, I saw that it led outside of the forest and right in front of me was a pasture with a single road made of cobblestone over small hills like something out of _The_   _Sound of Music_.

“Kya!”

I heard a scream close by. I turned my attention to the origin and saw a young girl being surrounded by five men. I couldn’t believe something that that was happening before me. Usually, you would see something like that out of a shounen manga. Hell! They even had swords also!

They looked like they were about to hurt the girl. One of them even held a sword up to the girl's throat. I knew I shouldn’t mind my own business, especially when I didn’t know where the hell I was, but I just couldn’t stand by and let it happen.

I had to go and try to stop them. However, I didn’t have a weapon to begin with. I looked around and see if I could use anything. Luckily, I found what I needed. Reaching my hand up, I grabbed onto a dead branch that was still attached to the tree beside me. I yanked it with all my might as I heard cracking from the wood stems. With one last pull, I ripped it off of the tree’s trunk, but tumbled down the hill and landing right in front of them.

While I descended to the brae, I caught a word of what they were saying. Something about a “Princess” and giving up “All the valuable possessions you’ve got!” but then they stopped talking. Then, when everything stopped spinning, I realized the five men had turn their attention to me.

“What the hell is this?!” one of the men exclaimed irritably.

I stumbled a little while trying to regain my footing. When I managed to stand up straight, I held the branch in my hand up like a sword and kept my guard up.

I replied justly with a stern glare, “You tell me?! I don’t know what I’m doing here or how I got here, but what I do know is that you ganging up a defenseless girl is wrong, and I’m here to put an end to it!”

Now that I was close, I was able to get a good look at the girl. She was about my age, either 16 or 17-years-old. She had long blonde hair, reaching almost to her waist, having blue eyes and fair peach skin. She wore a sleeveless beige dress with a loincloth covering the front and back of her torso, long fingerless gloves, and a pair of brown boots with white stockings she was even carrying a satchel over her shoulder.

_Hold on! She has long ears! Is she an elf?!_

That’s what came to mind when I noticed her ears. That’s when it all started coming back to me. How I got here, that is.

It was around Sunday, on November 26, 2016. I was in my room, surfing around the Internet, mostly looking up…ahem…”exciting” sites when suddenly a pop-up appeared. “What the hell is this?” I muttered to myself.

In the beginning, I thought it was just spyware…until I read the whole damn thing.

“Ashura: A World of Swords and Magic! Venture into a world of fantasy as you, the hero, travel through distant lands, boost levels and obtain treasures, form parties, and save the world of Ashura from the forces of evil and chaos!”

I didn’t think about it much and just assumed it was an ad for a cheesy, cheap-design MMORPG game. it was a perfect way to pass the time. So, with a shrug, I clicked on the download icon but then…my computer crashed, or so I thought. Suddenly, a flash of light appeared out of my screen. I scream in agony. I felt like something was dragging me in. that’s how I wound up in the middle of nowhere, now fighting strangers to rescue an elf girl!

Back at the present, I snapped out of my trip down memory lane. I was completely frozen, unable to move while I tried to process all of the information. Unfortunately, right at that moment, one of the men charged at me, swinging his sword horizontally in my direction. I ducked and swung upward, striking him right below the chin. The man went flying three feet before landing on the ground. Everyone gasped in surprise. I guess being at the top of the Kendo Club really has its moments of paying off.

“You little shit! You’ll pay for hurting one of my men!” said one of the thieves in anger.

They all charged in at once, swinging their daggers and swords at me. I was able to retaliate. Clash! Bang! I swung the branch in my hand as hard as I could while doing my best to not get hacked into pieces. Three of the men were down. Only one was left. However, he was nowhere to be seen.

Zap!

I spun around and was shocked to see the last thief standing right behind me, partially charred and semi-conscious. When I reached to touch him, he collapsed to the ground as he twitched like a nearly dead animal.

I turned and saw that it was the elf girl’s doing, holding up her staff with the tip glowing. She looked nervous, breathing heavily while she stammered. 

“I-I did it!” she exclaimed.

“I managed to summon [Lightning]!”

She lowered the staff as she congratulated herself. She ran towards me with a concern expression.

         She stopped and asked worriedly, “H-hey, are you…okay?!”

The elf girl sounded shy. Sweat dripping from her brow. I didn’t know how I could understand what she was saying, or how I could speak English so fluently. It was probably the reality of this world rewiring my brain to translate it’ all. However, that was only my hypothesis.

I smiled. I pointed out musingly, “I should be asking you that. Those thieves ganged up on you and I was worried they’d hurt you.”

         She simply shook her head and stated, “They did not manage to lay a finger on me. They were just trying to intimidate me, so that I would hand over anything on my persons to them.” she pretended to remain calm, but I could tell by the way she shook that she was already intimidated.

“My name is Keya Aieandora! What’s yours?” Keya greeted inquisitively, trying her best to change the subject. She reached her hand out before I shook it.

“I’m Akio Yamazaki,” I replied.

She laughed.

I asked, “What’s so funny?”

Keya explained jocularly, “It’s your name! I’ve never heard of anyone with a name like that!” she didn’t mean to sound rude, but the way it came out was sort of irksome.

I couldn’t help but glare annoyingly at her. My face turned red as she got close.

She continued, "In fact, I’ve never seen someone with black hair and hazel eyes. Traits like those are usually rare." I tried my best not to stare at her bosom.

“You’re not from around these parts, are you?”

My face became blank. Did she found out I wasn’t from this world?

“N-no! I’m…not from around here,” I answered. My tone of voice faded shyly as I rubbed my arms.

She looked surprised. Then she said astonishingly, “Really?! If you aren’t from around here, then where are you from? Are you from another continent?”

“Continent?”

“Yes! There are about five continents, each one populated by different races,” Keya said affirmatively, holding up a finger while explaining.

She continued, “We’re in the continent of Gaia, northeast of Ashura. The continent is mostly populated by humans, but is also inhabited by elves, dwarves, and other races too.”

I assumed Ashura was the name of the world I was taken to.

“So, which continent are you from, exactly?” she asked again. she gestured at hand and furrowed her brows. she continued, "I mean, your tacky attire seems unusual for someone from Gaia. So, you must be from one of the other four."

Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell her I wasn’t from this world because I doubt she’d understand that I was from another world. So, I played dumb.

“I-I don’t remember where I’m from,” I answered ignorantly.

Keya’s eyes widened in shock, looking at me with a concerned expression, repeating,

“You don’t know where you came from? Do you have amnesia?”

I didn’t like lying, especially to a beautiful girl, but it was either lie or tell her the truth.

“I-I guess, so. I just woke up in the forest and…everything was a blank.” I rubbed the back of my neck while I was fibbing through my teeth.

She just gave me a sympathetic stare. Placing a hand on my shoulder, she confirmed smiling, “it’s okay. Maybe if you come with me on my quest, we’ll find a way to get your memories back.”

Arching an eyebrow, I stared at her in confusion.

I questioned curiously, “What do you mean ‘quest’? Where are you going?”

“It’s…a long story,” she remarked dismissively. Brushing a strand of hair from her view, she demanded while running, “Come on! The next town isn’t far! We can find you some new clothes while getting something to eat!”

_What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?_

I would’ve been offended. However, Keya had a point. I mean, the way I was dressed…Ultraman t-shirt, sweatpants, socks, and bedroom slippers. I didn’t really fit in, on this world, did I?

I chased after her without any hesitation and we kept talking the whole way down the road.

“So, tell me more about yourself, Keya?” I inquired.

She blushed slightly and remarked, “I-I’ve never really talked about myself to anyone before. Let’s just say, I am just a normal elf mage girl on a mission. Is that alright?"

I simply nodded my head. it would make sense that she would tell me about herself since we've only met briefly. So, maybe over time, she'll be able to open up to me a bit more.

"Why is an elf mage like you wandering around by herself?" i questioned.

“You won’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me?”

“Okay, well, you see…I had…a premonition that a great evil was about to befall onto the world.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but flash a look of disbelief. It did sounded a little ludicrous. Then again, it is a typical scenario in some games where the hero meets an oracle that receives a dream of a “great evil” arriving to the world. So, I didn’t want to rule out what Keya said as crazy.

She then continued, “So, I left my home and ventured out to become the best magician I can to protect my people.”

“I was wondering. Where did you learn to fight like that, back there?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer her question. If I told her, then she’ll know I don’t have amnesia.

“I learned it…um…”

“Oh, right, you don’t remember anything, do you? T-that’s alright! I didn’t mean to sound rude!” she replied, taking back what she asked before.

I was relieved. I didn’t have to tell her anything. 

Finally, we made to the village. Tora was its name. Keya and I sauntered in, observing the simplistic agrarian features around us. All of the houses were made out of stone with the roofs made out of straw. The people in the village were made up mostly of humans with an elf, or dwarf, here and there.

We wandered throughout town, hoping to find a tavern to eat. Unfortunately, Keya had another idea. She grabbed my hand and forcibly dragged me into a shop with a clothes sign over the door.

“What are we doing in here?” I asked flabbergasted.

I looked around and noticed that there were racks and shelves filled with clothes of different color, shape, and size. Standing in front of one of the racks, Keya turned and smiled innocently.

“I told you, silly! When we got to the village, I was hoping to get you some new clothes to replace the rags you’re wearing now!” she pointed out.

Keya returned to the rack, skimming through the wears before one could catch her eye. She picked up the set she needed and handed them to me.

“Here! Take this and go change! If you need any help, all be right here!” she demanded, hymning while giving me a wink.

Luckily, there was a changing room right next to the checkout counter. It was a relief that I didn’t have to change in the middle of the room, not that they would allow me to do so, that is.

I stepped into the first changing room I saw. Closing the blinds behind me, I started changing out of my pants and shirt until I was only in my underwear. I looked into the mirror in front of me as I caressed my hands through my spikey black hair. My body was slim, yet average. Toned for a kendo student.

I looked at the clothes Keya handed me. Strangely, they appeared to be of my size, which was unnerving how she was able to guess my measures. Maybe elves have pretty good eyes for detail, or something like that.

Before I started putting them on, I heard the curtains slid open and someone asking, “how are the clothes? Are they to your…” Keya stood right in the opening, frozen in exacerbation as we glanced eye-to-eye. She stared at my chest while her face turned red. Closing the blinds, I could hear her running out of the way, shouting “sorry!” in embarrassment.

I sighed while crushing the bridge between my eyes. Then I proceeded to change my clothes. When I finished, I was now wearing a v-neck white shirt under a black trench coat with grey lining and a single shoulder blade on the right, a pair of grey trousers with a silver belt buckle, and black boots with steel spats on the front.

I stepped out and showed myself to Keya. She clasped her hands and grinned widely.

“Oh, you look amazing, Akio! With your skills and your new fashion, you look like a proper warrior of Gaia!” ironically, that’s the class I always choose when playing games. 

Her comment embarrassed me a little. Scratching my left cheek, I said timidly, “Umm…thanks, Keya, but can you afford this? I don’t want to make you spend all your money on me.”

She waved her hand nonchalant and remarked, “Don’t worry about it! I have enough money to last for a long time!” the clothing i was now wearing is suppose to be expensive and hard to come by. Apparently,

After paying the owner of the store, we went to get something to eat.

“Maybe I should get a proper weapon!” she suggested happily.

“I’ll stick with the branch,” I deadpanned.

The girl might have a spending problem, even if it’s for someone else.

30-minutes-later, Keya and I were back on the road. We were heading straight when something obstructed our view.

“Is that what I think it is?” I pointed at what looked like a sword in the middle of the road. We both dashed towards it, but halted when we noticed the sign. It read: _Beware ye you glanced at the Blade of Accord for those who pluck it from the ground shall be cursed and we soon meet with death by one's own hands!_

Most of it sounded it corny and wasn’t that much intimidating. I don’t think the person who wrote this took time to look it over.

“I ‘ve heard about this sword! I remembered an urban legend where, when leaving the village of Tora, people would see a sword sticking out of the road and those who remove would die of unusual circumstanced.” Keya recalled in acknowledgement. She added as she trembled, “I-I heard that t-the last person t-to wield the sword, d-die impaled to a tree, yet n-no one knows how!”

I shook my head as I moved forward. Keya was shocked when she saw me reaching for the sword’s hilt.

“What are you doing?!” she yelled, bewildered by my action.

I grabbed the hilt and smirked, saying, “Oh please, Keya, I’m not intimidated by curses, nor do I believe in them! Somebody must’ve put that sign there s a joke!”

At that time, I was still using real world logic in a fantasy world, thinking that the sword-curse thing was just a joke.

Boy was I wrong for as I removed the sword from the ground, everything became silent. Just then, the forest around us turned dark while the sky became blood red. Suddenly, a chill went up my spine. Keya screamed and pointed, causing me to swirl around. Right in front of me was…me but it wasn’t me. It was my shadow! This was the curse for when you pull the sword, you must challenge yourself to prove your worth or die by your own hands.


	2. Chapter 2

I was taken aback by the dark apparition before me, terrified by its’ very presence. I face-palmed while flashing an irritated glare.

_Oh, that's right, this is a fantasy world! My world's logic doesn't apply!_

The doppelganger raised its' sword up and charged, swinging at me with such precision that it was hard to dodge. I gripped the hilt of the sword. All I could hope for is if my kendo skills are good enough against myself.

“Be careful! Shadow Doppelgangers can mimic the moves of the person they are a part of!” Keya shouted informatively.

She was standing far away from the fight. It was relieving to know she found some cover because she didn't look much like a fighter. Then again, appearances are deceiving.

The doppelganger charged again, lifting its' sword up before striking down. I managed to block the attack, pushing me back while sparks flew from my blade. It cocked its' arm and parried its' sword. I evaded the doppelganger's move and swung my blade at its' head. However, the shadow creature blocked and brought me into a stalemate. Suddenly, I felt the creature's swift kick against my abdomen, pushing me to the ground. I coughed before standing back.

“This is harder than I thought!” I muttered to myself.

If it were an MMORPG game, it would have been over in just a minute. But this was not a game. My eyes widened in shock. The doppelganger was about to strike. I picked myself up and gripped my sword as I regained my battle stance. We both changed at each other at once. Clash! Our blades struck once more. This time, the blow was so powerful; it sent a slight shockwave throughout the area.

“Had enough yet?!” I said fiercely to the doppelganger.

It didn't respond. It just remained silent. Before it could make its' next move, I pushed the shadow back and thrust my blade forward, hoping to pierce through its' heart. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my forearm. I looked and saw the creature's blade penetrating the skin. I screamed in pain, feeling the blood flow out of my arm as it pulled back. I was angry, but not like before. I was becoming enraged. Seething in agony, I gritted my teeth as started getting angrier and angrier. Then, everything turned red. With a bellowing roar, I sprinted and swung my sword. It tried to block but, this time, its' attempts were all in vain. The blade glowed of a red light and with one strike, the shadow's blade came flying out of its' hands. With one thrust, I pierced through its' heart. I watched it dissipate before my eyes.

I breathed heavily and saw my vision becoming clear. Afterwards, in a matter of seconds, the sky returned to being blue and the forest, and the fields, returned to normal. I didn't know what had happened. I was fighting my shadow, and the next thing I know I had become stronger and faster than I was before. Suddenly, a deep surge appeared, causing me to drop the sword in my hand and grasp my upper right arm.

“Ah!” I screamed excruciatingly.

Throughout my entire life, I have never been stabbed. Sure, there were the occasional cuts and bruises from accidents, kendo trainings, and from getting into scuffles with the high school yanki's. However, this was a different feeling.

“Akio, hang on!”

I snapped my head and saw Keya running as fast as she could. She crouched down beside me and told me to give her my arm. She started rubbing the wound, disregarding the blood staining her hand. I seethed when I felt her apply pressure.

However, I was stunned to see a green light flashing from her hand.

She stated attentively, “This will only take a second. The healing spell takes a lot of focus.”

She removed her hand. I looked and was astonished to see the wound on my arm was completely healed.

“Thanks. You save my life,” I said in gratitude.

She shrugged and smiled.

“It was no big deal! I would've used my healing ability on anyone who's injured, or ill!” she replied, waving a hand nonchalant while her cheeks turned red.

Smiling, I couldn't help but pat her on the back in thanks. I turned to see the sword face flat on the floor. I reached in, grabbed it by the hilt, and held it up to admire its' design.

“Well, at least I won't be using the branch, and you didn't have to spend anything on weapons, Keya,” I mused, flashing a half-hearted grin as I placed the Blade of Accord into my belt.

Since I didn't have a scabbard, putting it there would suffice. I just hoped the blade didn't cut through the leather.

Walking up to my side, Keya added in awe, “I was amazed that you were able to unlock [Rage] on your first challenge! Usually, it takes level 1 warriors days before being able to use it!”

“What's [Rage]?”

“It's a class trait, common among the warrior class. It allows the user to challenge his rage and fury throughout their body, giving them enhanced strength and speed but only for about 60 seconds,” she lectured analytically.

_That sounds oddly like the super-saiyan transformation from Dragon Ball Z!_

“What about your healing powers? Is that all part of being a magician, or did you have to learn to use it?” I questioned, pointing at Keya's ability.

She corrected me in a straightforward manner, “Actually, the healing spell was taught to me by the palace's private healers. However, I haven't fully mastered it and it takes a lot out of you.” the tone of her voice contained hints of fatigue.

Later, Keya and I continued on foot, getting back on the cobble stone road. Frankly, we should have stayed in town and checked into an inn. The sun was beginning to set.

Turning to Keya, I asked, “How far is the next town?”

She answered, “About 3 miles.”

That was a good thing to hear, meaning we didn't have to camp in the middle of nowhere. Also, I wouldn't know the first thing about setting up a camp to begin with. 1-hour-later, we made it to the town of “Kor”. My legs were getting tired and were about to give out. Keya wasn't looking so good either. She leaned against my shoulder, using me to support her exhausted body. Luckily, the inn wasn't too far from us. In fact, it was close to the entrance. It was probably built close by, so to attract more customers better.

We waltzed right in, signed us into a room, and paid the innkeeper at the check-in counter. Unfortunately, there was only one room vacant, at the moment. Not really much of a problem as long as there was an extra bed. However, that was not the case.

The two of us sauntered into the first door on the left. As we entered, we discovered the room was a little small, and that there was only one bed!

Wait! I have to share a bed with Keya?! The thought about it was both exciting and horrendous. For starters, she was a princess, a member of royalty, and if I did something to her and someone finds out about it, they'd cut off my head. Also, she was a girl and I was a boy, meaning it would be too uncomfortable for both of us the entire night. Even though I've only known Keya for a few hours, I could tell she was innocent. She wouldn't forgive me if I took advantage of her. Taking a glimpse, I could tell she was just as embarrassed as I was, noticing her flushed red face and flabbergasted gaze.

_Maybe I should sleep on the floor. Then again, there doesn't seem to be any extra sheets and since this isn't a hotel, I doubt they would have any at the front desk._

“W-well, let's get ready for bed, s-shall we?!”

I was snapped out of my train of thought by Keya's voice. Turning to her, I watched her walked over and started moving the sheets back.

“Come now, these sheets aren't going to move themselves!” she demanded, gesturing me for help.

She was pretending to not be embarrassed, but I could still tell it on her face. I strolled over and began helping. Keya's hand fidgeted as she pulled back the covers. I could feel the vibration emitting throughout the fabric. Sweat started dripping from her face in agitation. I placed a hand on hers. Keya tensed up and turned her attention toward me.

I smiled and assured, “Don't worry, Keya! I'll be sure not to do anything dirty to you!” I couldn't help but chuckle at the end. I just wished she bought into my facade because, at the same time, I was freaking out.

Keya chuckled, also. She smiled reassuringly and moved her hand out.

“I-I know you won't. I'm just nervous because…this is my first time sharing a bed with a boy,” she claimed, fidgeting with her fingers like a shy schoolgirl. She snapped out and continued while stuttering, “N-not that there's anything wrong with you! I-I mean, you're very attractive and n-nice, b-but it's just…I mean…”

I interrupted her breakdown, raising my hand up in a nonthreatening manner and said to her, albeit taken back, “Okay! I get it! Please, don't force yourself to say it!” honestly, I'm just as nervous as you are!

After the bed was finally set up, Key asked me to leave the room to give her privacy to change. I wondered: _did she pack her pajamas in her rucksack?_

So, I waited outside of the room until she finished changing.

“Okay! You can come back in!”

I strolled back into the room and was bewildered by the site before me. Standing in the middle of the room, Keya was dressed in a silver nightgown that stretched passed her thighs, and nothing else. My face immediately turned red and I felt my nostril dripping blood.

Keya cringed after seeing the blood from my nose. Snapping out of my daze, I wiped my nose with my sleeves, clapped my hands, and put on a fake smile.

“W-we should probably hit the hay! Early to bed; early to rise, as the saying goes!” I remarked fastidiously.

“Y-yes! We should get right to sleep! We have a busy day tomorrow!” she concurred, having the same embarrassed expression as me.

I took off my jacket, boots, and pants, which was usually how I slept. After turning off the lights, Keya and I crawled into bed together. We faced away from each other, trying to make the situation less awkward as possible.

We couldn’t sleep. The feeling of each other’s warmth under the sheets kept the two of us awake. I turned slowly; enough to see the back of Keya’s head, but not enough to alert the elf girl.

“Hey, Keya…are you awake?”

“Yes.”

“Just making sure.”

Then, something came to mind.

“By the way, Keya. What…are we doing tomorrow?” I questioned puzzlingly.

She answered, turning to face me, “Oh! Well, tomorrow, we’re going to the nearest guild office in town to sign us up to become official warriors and magicians. That way, when we’re out adventuring and honing our skills, we could make money from the bounty we’ve collected along the way.”

That made sense because it’s common in games to register in guilds. That way, players can gather wealth and fame from their exploits. Until I learn a way to return home, I should sign up and be a warrior. After we talked, we finally went to sleep, falling deep into slumber as my vision went dark.

The next morning, the sun shined through the window. The sounds of bird’s chirping ringed in my ear. My eyes fluttered, only to gasp when I found myself snuggled up against the elven princess.

_What the fuck?! Why the hell are my arms around Keya!? Oh god, I need to fix this before she wakes up!_

My eyes bulged as beads of sweat fell from my face. Slowly, I moved my right hand away from her. Hell, even the way were positioned was raunchy. I could even see a nipple hanging out from her nightgown, no that the dress wasn’t too revealing to begin with. I tried to escape without alarming the sleeping elf girl. Unfortunately, my left hand was pinned by Keya’s side. So, with caution, I gingerly slid the other arm out but right when it was all the way out, Keya’s eyes flew open and met with my own. The atmosphere grew tense. She looked around, probably noticing how close I was standing over her and how close my face was to hers. She gasped, letting out a loud scream wither face turned red and before I had the chance to explain, a flash of blue light emanated from the princess, blowing up the entire room around us.

45-minutes-later…

We were sitting in the corner of the inn’s tavern, facing each other while we ate. I was eating of eggs, bacon, and bread while Keya was eating just eggs and bread.

Like yesterday’s lunch, she refused to eat anything with meat. I asked her why she didn’t want bacon. She explained that elves are vegetarians and possess a deep bond with the earth, meaning that eating meat was a major taboo amongst elven society. After that, Keya and I didn’t speak. She was still mad at the ordeal that happened earlier.

“Look, Keya, I told you. Nothing happened. I accidentally slept on your side and I was just trying to move away before you woke up…”

“So, it WAS your intention to touch my body, wasn’t it?!” She accused judgmentally.

I was trying to explain, but it just made the situation worst.

“N-no! I didn’t mean it to happen! It just happened! I would never have my way with you! Honest!” I pleaded as best as I could.

Instead of saying anything, Keya glared at me. It felt like she was piercing me with daggers from her gaze. Then she took a deep breath and responded calmly, “I believe you. I can tell from your eyes that you wouldn’t do anything indecent, on purpose.”

That brought me relief to hear.

“However, that doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you,” she continued seriously, waving her index finger like an instructor. “After we register at the local adventurer’s guild, you’re going to have to treat me to something…special.”

I didn’t really like the sound of that. Frankly, I would do anything to put an end to the misunderstanding. However, didn’t have any cash to afford to treat her.

Keya beamed, giving me a devious smirk.

“You’re thinking that since you don’t have any money, how would you treat me? Don’t worry, after you sign up, the guild masters will provide you with a 50 copper coin starter loan to set you off. Once you receive it, I’ll be sure to tell you what we’ll be doing with it.”

After we finished breakfast, we checked out and headed to the guild. Unfortunately, due to the damage we caused to the room, half of the money we had was spent for the repairs. That nearly left us broke.

We walked out of the inn and strolled up the street.

The adventurer’s guild was about a block away from where the inn was. It only took us 12 minutes to arrive but when we got there, the place was packed. The inside of the guild was filled with wooden support beams, having white walls and lanterns hanging on the ceiling. There were even blue flags with a horizontal white line and three golden lions, hanging between the beams.

This is going to take a while. And it did, about an hour, to be précised. Once we made it to the front where Keya and I signed a bunch of paper work.

"Name: Akio Yamazaki. Age: 17. Race: Human..."

God! it was tedious! After we were done, they then branded the back of our hands with a symbol of an X inside a circle. We were now officially guild members and certified adventurers. Despite the agonizing wait and the uncomfortable amount of documents needed to sign, it was all worth it.

“So, what now?” I asked as Keya and I exited the guild house.

“Now, we just have to find a job on the quest bulletin board, but before that, you still owe me a treat.”

I was hoping she would’ve forgotten about that promise. Maybe elves have better memories than humans, I guess. Instead of protesting, I complied and let Keya guided me on where we needed to go.


	3. Chapter 3

1 day ago…

“Where the hell is he? Where is the hero?!”

Somewhere on another part of the continent, twelve men and women stood in front of the edge of a large glowing pentagram dressed in black robes that concealed their faces. In the pentagram was, not only an inverted star, but also a ring of strange writings and orbs with symbols of the elements at the end of each tip.

“We’ve read the incantation correctly, so where is the hero!?”

One of the men and women vented angrily. Something had gone array and much murmurs of dismay echoed throughout the room.

“Calm down, Representative Kar! You know the summoning spell is fickle! It’s unknown where the hero had been teleported to, but what we do know is that it was a success! The hero has been summoned to our world! If he hadn’t, then the circle wouldn’t be glowing right now!” remarked the man beside the now fuming Kar.

“Oh no, this isn’t good, at all! Without knowing where the hero is, then we won’t have enough time to prepare for the Dark Lord’s arrival!” One of the female members in the circle became hectic, trembling in anxiety while shaking her head with her hands clasping the sides.

She turned and asked the second man, “What are we going to do, Representative Ameloni?!”

“First off, we are all going to remain calm! It’s not the end of the world! Not yet, that is!” barked Representative Ameloni authoritatively. He continued, “There is still hope! Tracking the hero’s whereabouts will not be impossible! However, finding someone who will volunteer will be somewhat hard as they have to be brave enough to travel the continent while searching for the hero!”

Then silence fell amongst the group. After a few seconds, the silence was broken. “What if we send in the…Halfling,” One of them slurred in disdain.

They all laughed in amusement. Ameloni stated, “We would make good use for the girl! Ranging and hunter are the only two, useful things her people are good for!” with that, they’ all laughed even harder.

They ordered the guards standing at the large, oak door to bring the “Halfling” and, in only under 3 minutes, they returned with a young woman. She had long amber hair in ponytails, accompanied by luscious hazel eyes and pale skin. She wore long tanned boots, tight brown pants, a blouse and a pair of fingerless leather gloves. A dagger hung at her waist.

She bowed to the men and women before her, taking a knee with her head lowered. She questioned respectfully, “What is it that you need, my lords and ladies?”

“We require your services to find a very…special individual, Leni,” stated Representative Kar in a straightforward manner.

“We had summoned the hero to our world. Unfortunately, the spell somewhat backfired, sending the hero somewhere else and not here, in this location,” explained one of the female members, interpreting the situation in a monotonous tone.

She continued, “We need you to track down the hero, find his whereabouts, and retrieve him here.” She precedes to hand the Halfling girl a necklace with a lavender crystal. “Take this amulet. It’s capable of tracing the hero’s aura. Once you find the hero, use this orb to contact us.”

After handing the girl a crystal ball, the Halfling, Leni, bowed her head in thanks and went on her way. Once Leni left, the woman cringed in disgust and wiped her hands on her robe.

God! I can’t believe I touched that thing!

“So…how long do you think it’ll take the hobbit to find the hero?”

Smiling, the lady mused deviously, “Probably longer than we think…as long as there aren’t any taverns, or fields, for her to work or stuff her face.”

From that remark, everyone within the room, even the guards at the door, laughed hysterically. Unbeknownst to them, the girl heard everything outside of the room with the squared-helix of her ears while walking down the white-stoned hallway. She didn’t storm in and make a fuss. She didn’t object to what they were saying. Instead, she just shed a small tear. However, she tuned out their laughter, wiping the tear away and proceeded down the hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the present day, in the town of Kor, Keya and Akio were busy with their day. The elf girl was forcing the human boy to bring her around town, dragging him to different parts of the area. From parks to food stands, Akio brought her everywhere. It cost him 49 copper coins, leaving him with only one left.

“Keya, can we stop now?! I think I’ve been punished enough already!” Akio pleaded, sluggishly walking behind the cheerful elf princess.

Flashing a sly grin, Keya turned around with her hands behind her back. She remarks, “Okay, you’ve been punished enough. I say we can end this date as it is, for now.”

Akio let out a sigh of relief. Finally, it was over and the princess was no longer mad at him.

“So, want to go find a job?” Keya inquired jovially.

Akio nodded and the two started walking together.

So, with that over, the two began heading back to the guild building—the Wild Bunch Guild—to look up the request board. Sauntering into the building, the two walked up to the board on the right of the building. They examined the board for any appealing requests until one finally caught their eye.

“How about this one? ‘Prevent the invasion! Eliminate Goblin Campsite outside of town! Reward: 3 silver coins’!” Akio informed, grabbing the pamphlet and reading it to the elf girl.

“Sounds like a good deal,” Keya confirmed.

They grabbed the paper before anyone else could. After picking the quest, they proceeded to the exchange counter to hand in the pamphlet, to accept the job. Once they handed it in, Keya and Akio were ready to head out.

The two walked on the cobble-stoned road out of town. Akio couldn’t stop staring at the mark on the back of his hand.

Turning to Keya, he says inquisitively, “I’ve been meaning to ask. What is this thing?” he shows her the mark.

She examines the tattoo and explains, “That is a status mark. I heard it magically tells you of your status as an adventurer, even telling you what level is at and what skills you have.”

That sounds like the status bar and page you see in games!

Grabbing his hand, Keya continued, “All you have to do is tap on the mark and it’ll activate your stats.”

With one tap, she activates Akio’s status bar, revealing every aspect of his character in the form of a holographic screen. He was bewildered, reading everything that was written on screen. He thought: wow, this has everything about me down perfectly! Wow, guess fighting that doppelganger really boost my level up to 2! I better work harder to get a higher level.

When he finished, Akio removed the screen and the two then resumed their journey. However, unbeknownst to the two, someone was watching them from a distance. Crouching in a far away location, the Halfling Leni was observing the two while sitting on a tree branch, watching them through a spyglass as she ate a handful of lime crackers.

“Leni, come in! Have you found the hero?” said a voice coming from her rucksack.

Scrounging through, she pulls out a crystal ball and spoke to it in a respectful manner, “Yes, Representative Kar, I have the hero within my sights, and he seems to be with an elf. They have just left the town of Kor and seemed to be heading up north, probably to the goblin campsite on a quest.”

“Good. Make sure you don’t lose them. Keep following them and report back when you have more information on the hero, and don’t lose them!” the representative ordered in an authoritative tone.

The communication ended. Leni placed the orb back in the bag and proceeded to follow them, hoping from treetop to treetop to catch up to the two. She was determined to carry out her mission, even if it meant going into enemy territory to do so.


	4. Chapter 4

Keya and I walked for nearly an hour. By that time, we were already 4 miles away from Kor. So, we stopped to take a break.

“How much longer until we reach the goblin campsite?” I questioned, trying to catch my breath as I stood next to the princess.

Keya checked at her status mark, looking up the map section and read our location. She turned and assured positively, “Don’t worry, Akio! It’ll only take us another 2 miles, east, and we’ll be at our destination in no time!”

That was good to hear. I wasn’t much of a runner in high school and avoided track as possible, and another moment of walking my legs would’ve given up. Turning east, Keya and I strolled through the woods. We passed trees of different shapes and color. Suddenly, we stopped and hid behind some shrubberies. We heard commotions coming from about 15 feet away from where we were. There were two goblin guards out on patrol, walking around sluggishly with small swords in hand. One of them was even using his sword as a back-scratcher.

They were about 4’10 in height, having green skin, long floppy ears, and short bulbous noses, wearing only a leather cervelliere helmet, a loincloth, and a stomach plate.

I opened up my status bar and scanned the two. They were surprisingly low level, being around 2 to 3 in level. I closed the bar and sighed.

Gripping the handle of my sword, I tried to rid myself of the internal guilt inflicting me. Forgive me! Those were the only words I thought for what I was a bout to do.

Looking at Keya, I raised my hand to extend three fingers to her face. I counted down. Three! Two! One! When we were at zero, we charged and attack. However, the goblins weren’t as easy as I thought.

Pulling out their short swords, the goblins retaliated. The first one struck a low blow to the legs. I jumped and slashed down. However, the goblin deflected my attack with his sword.

“God! These things are tougher than they look!” I said to myself in frustration.

Keya wasn’t doing so hot either. In fact, she started sprinting backwards whenever her opponent fought back. Then when she got to a good distance, about 5 feet, she points her staff and chants: Now, o’ spirit of fire. Ignite thine heart and strike ye who transpire! Out of the tip of her staff, a blaze of fire appeared and struck the goblin, incinerating him but only to a minimum. I guess she needed a wider range to use her magic.

I snapped back to my opponent who was still slashing his blade at my direction. I blocked and deflected as fast as I could, trying to find the opportunity to return the blow. I found the moment and parried through the goblin’s shoulder, watching the creature wreath in pain as blood spattered from the wound. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the creature. Nevertheless, I had a job to do and shouldn’t let empathy get in the way. With one final blow, I pierced the Blade of Hope straight through his skull, killing the goblin while he was distracted. After a moment of grievances, I went over to Keya to help.

“Hang on! I’m coming!”

I dashed over hitherto but slowed down. My jaw immediately dropped to the ground, seeing that Keya had already defeated the goblin soldier.

Turning and smiling, she stated, “That’s okay, Akio. I’ve already taken care of it. I used my fire spell, one more time, and I managed to kill the poor thing.” Her response after killing someone was a little scary, especially with that grin.

I looked down, seeing the charred remains of her opponent. What came after that surprised me even more. Kneeling down, Keya began searching through the dead goblin’s body, taking out a knife and cut off its’ fingers, one-by-one.

I was horrified by what she was doing. I questioned in disgust, “W-what the hell are y-you doing?!”

Her smile faded into a blank. She gasped and stated, “That’s right! I forgot to tell you that goblin fingernails are worth a lot in the market! Blacksmiths use them to strengthen the density of the weapons and armor they craft. However, while it’s strong, it can’t compete to the strength and magical potency of dragon scales and demon horns.” I didn’t want to ask how she knew all of that.

After stuffing the fingers into her pocket, Keya and I proceeded to the campsite. Since we had killed two of their scouts, the possibility of them sending in a search party for their missing comrades was highly likely.

Dashing even further, we found the campsite near a riverbed. There was about twenty goblins, lurking around and sharping their weapons. It looked like they were preparing for battle, probably to assault Kor. Where ever the Wild Bunch Guild got their information, they intend for us adventurers to wipe them out before they could execute their plan.

Without a second to lose, Keya and I charged. Swinging my blade, I had killed four goblins before they had a chance to retaliate. Keya summoned [Lightning] at the riverbed, electrocuting the three goblins near the lake. I tried to summon [Rage] in an attempt to end it once and for all. Unfortunately, nothing happened. There wasn’t anything to make me mad.

Then I heard a scream. “Kyaa!” I snapped my head and saw one of the goblins tackling Keya to the ground, pinning her down and was about to drive a dagger right into her heart. That’s when it happened. Eyes turning red, I roared furiously as I burst of energy flow out of my body. I dashed with such tremendous speed and struck a hard blow to the goblin, sending the pieces of his body flying all over. The remaining goblins trembled and started backing away. At that moment, I barely control of my body.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?!” That wasn’t me talking. That was the rage.

I didn’t show any mercy. Wherever I went, I killed any goblin in front of me. Some tried to fight back, but it was futile. By the time I had finished, the campsite was completely desolated. The rage had worn off and I just stood in the middle of the campsite. My clothes were drenched in purple blood. There were bodies of goblins everywhere, all mangled or mutilated in the most horrendous way possible. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe I was responsible for so much death.

“Akio!”

Keya ran towards me while waving her hand frantically. When she stopped she just stared at me with a terrified gaze.

I reached out with a grimaced expression, saying in a low voice, “Keya…I couldn’t control it! I didn’t mean for this to happen!”

Keya didn’t back away, no matter how shocked she was. Instead, she sprinted and wrapped her arms around me. She didn’t even seem to care that the blood on my coat was soaking into her dress.

“I understand, Akio. It’s not your fault. You’re still a low-level warrior, so it’s hard to maintain control of your [Rage],” she remarked affectionately. She felt so warm and loving that all my grief melted away. She gave me the most sympathetic grin and added, “We’ll just have to keep working hard until you’re able to master it.”

I smiled and simply nodded my head in response. After that ordeal was over, Keya and I started scavenging all that remained of the campsite. I walked all over until I stepped on something…peculiar. My eyes widened in horror from what I found.

Keya wandered over, asking cheerfully, “So, Akio, did you find anything interesting?”

I was crouching down with something in my head. I looked over my shoulder at the elf girl, taking a deep breath before standing up.

I said to her puzzlingly, “Tell me, Keya. That poster said the goblins were preparing for an ‘invasion,’ right?”

“Y-yes, that’s what it said,” she confirmed, nervously nodding while a droplet of sweat formed on her temple.

I threw something at Keya and watched her catch it. “Then tell me. If this really was a military camp, then who in there right mind would bring their children to an invasion?!” my expression fell grim while my tone of voice became somber. Looking into her hands, Keya saw that what I handed her was a doll made of straw. I learned, on that day, that it wasn’t a military camp, but a settlement…and that I had committed murder.


	5. Chapter 5

Back at Kor…

Keya and I were standing in line at the exchange table for at least 3 hours. We were tired and low on morale. Ever since the incident at the campsite, we just…want to pretend it was all a bad dream. My eyes were half-open, staring at the ground and going through the motion. I couldn’t stop thinking about their faces. The goblins that died and the mistakes we both made.

Back at the campsite, Keya and I were sitting in what use to be the goblin campsite we were tasked to wipe out. However, when we finished the job, we soon discovered that it wasn’t actually a campsite for a new goblin settlement, but I guess the human kingdoms didn’t like that. So, in my opinion, one of the kingdoms must’ve put up that poster for any adventurer dumb enough, optimistic enough, or just plain desperate-for-cash enough to take up the job. God, it was like Scorched Earth where soldiers would desolate an entire village that’s useful to the enemy, or the Conquistadors’ genocide of the Incans.

After the atrocity we had just committed, all we could do at the moment was grieve. Then the rain came. I felt the wet moisture of the drops slowly washing away the blood from my clothes. It only me want to cry some more.

“So…there really was no invasion, was there?” Keya grimaced, depressingly sitting on the floor with her arms around her legs.

I shook my head in response, addressing somberly, “No, there wasn’t, and we just killed innocent people…all because nobody wanted them here!”

“How do you know that?” she asked.

“Why else would they send adventurers to do the job? Must be because they didn’t want to get their hands dirty,” I countered rhetorically.

Keya looked away, avoiding eye contact as I stared at her. Then she remarked, “That explains so much! The Human Coalition and the United Goblin Principality have always been in a state of war! I just can’t someone would be capable of doing something so…monstrous!” I watched her sob, covering her faces to hide her tears.

You have no idea…

In the end, we gathered what was left of the settlers. It took us a long time to find all the pieces of those lacerated. We buried them all in the remains of the camp, giving them a proper burial and praying that they would have a safe journey to the afterlife. 20-minutes-later, we left heading back to Kor.

Back in town, the line began to move until we at the front. The receptionist was a young human man with short brown hair and a slender frame. I gave him our name and he flashed a sly grin.

He said amusingly, “So, you managed to kill all those goblins in a day! Serves those green bastards right! Thankfully, there are people who can get the job done.”

The smug look on his face pissed me off. I sneered as he chuckled. I wanted to drive my fist into his mouth and knock all of his teeth out. Who am I kidding? I would just be no different than that asshole.

Letting out a deep sigh, I released my grip and glared at the receptionist.

“Just give me my 3 silver coins,” I demanded sternly.

He was taken aback, but complied. After he handed me the reward, Keya and I walked out of the guild house and headed straight out of town.

50-minutes-later, we stopped in the middle of the grasslands and set up a bonfire, gathering whatever was around us to make a makeshift camp for us to sleep under. Since we didn’t have enough money for an inn, camping was our only option. I should’ve mentioned that one room in an inn costs about 12 gold coins, which was completely outrageous.

Anyways, we managed to establish a camp. Despite the recent rain, the sticks we found were still dry, allowing us to light a fire for Keya and I to stay warm. We stared at the fire, watching its’ amber glow flicker before us.

“So, now what?” I inquired.

“I don’t know,” she said straightforwardly. She lowered her head somberly as she added, “I didn’t expect adventuring to be this grim. It’s not like how they portray in romance stories!”

True. You should never believe something you read in books because, in real life, you would be disappointed from experiencing it first hand.

“Well, I guess the only thing we can do is continue on our journey. Who knows? Maybe it won’t be so intense on our next quests,” I assured, trying my best to change the tensed atmosphere.

Keya lifted her head and smiled, nodding her head in agreement. Suddenly, we head a loud sound like bubbling water. We both groaned unbearably. It was getting dark and about time for dinner, meaning we needed to forage some food.

Turning back to Keya, I asked, “You want to go look for food, or should I?”

Keya replied blankly, “Let’s do it together.” We both stood up off the ground with Keya ordering, “I’ll go find some herbs and vegetables while you go look for some meat.”

After that, we headed into the forest; Keya going left and me going right. I stalked the forest for about 10 minutes, scouting around for any sign of an animal. Unfortunately, there were none present. Just then, a wild boar appeared out of the bushes, snorting while probably looking for truffles. I stood my ground, waiting for the opportunity to strike. The boar turned its’ back, giving me the perfect view. Even though it is wrong for a kendo student to strike an opponent from the back, but this was survival of the fittest and I need to eat.

I charged in, pulling out my sword and about to slash down. Seconds later, I was knocked against a tree. Everything was spinning. I didn’t know what hit me. After my vision became clear again, I saw that it was the boar that hit me like a bag of bricks. It even started shaking its’ rump at me in pride.

“Oh, shut it! Pig! You just got lucky!” I shouted with a comically angry expression. If this was an anime, my eyes would be white and my teeth would be sharp with a sneer.

This only made the pig gloat even more so, which started to piss me off. I stood up and regained my composure, holding my sword up as I charged at the boar again. However, when I swung my blade, it dodged and struck its’ tusks at my back, sending me flying and falling face first into the dirt. Cowardly move striking its opponent in the back.

I turned and huffed at the boar. The damn creature laughed at me. I started getting even madder than before. However, I took a deep breath and kept my anger under control. I didn’t want a repeat of what happened last time. I charged in again, holding the blade upside-down and swinging right at the boar. In its’ hubris, the creature thought it was victorious. However, this time, I was the victor. As I struck my blade, the boar tried to jump back, only to give m the perfect opening.

I sliced the pig’s stomach open, watching its’ blood spew outward. It fell on its’ back, wreathing in agony while bleeding to death. It finally stopped when its’ body turned cold and its eyes became lifeless.

Down on my knees, I prayed for the beast a safe journey to the afterlife. Despite it mocked me and humiliated me, the beast put up a good fight. It would be callous not to pray. I clapped twice, signaling my prayer’s end. I stood up and carried the board out of the forest. However, before I could proceed back to camp, I hung the boar by its’ legs on a tree branch, draining the blood so it would be easier to cook. My grandfather and I use to go hunting and he taught me how to prepare the animals we caught for cooking. Even though my parents disapproved of it, the skills seem to have come to great use right now.

“Oh, there you are!”

I turned and saw Keya, walking out of the forest with a smiling on her face and a hand full of roots and vegetables.

“I…s-see you’ve got your m-meat,” she cringed in disgust.

Her face contorted while it turned a little green from seeing the dead boar carcass.

“So, how are we going to cook these?!” she puzzled.

We didn’t have any pots or pans to cook our food. Luckily, I knew another trick my grandfather taught me. Under my instructions, we brought the food together around the bonfire where, using Keya’s dagger, we started cutting the vegetables and roots, piece-by-piece. Once we finished, I went into the forest and returned with a large flat stone I had found in the area.

“What are you going to do with that,” Keya asked.

I turned to her and smiled. I answered contentedly, “I’m going to use to cook, of course!” she just stared at me with a skeptical frown and a raised brow.

I placed the rock beside the fire, wedging it between the burning wood and waited as it started to hat up. I should’ve washed it, first, but I doubt we’ll get any sickness if the heat burns all the bacteria.

I proceeded to skin the boar, cutting off the unnecessary parts and removing the fur, and tusks. Then I removed the meat from its bones. It as a lot tougher than how granddad showed me, but I was able to get some of it off and onto the hot slab. Mixing in the meat juices with the vegetables, the aroma was heavenly and ambrosias.

“What do you think? Smells good, huh?” I inquired enthusiastically.

My eyes bulged in shock, seeing Keya passed out with her face turned green.

“What the hell?! You just passed out from smelling meat?!” I shouted in disbelief. I guess living off of a vegetarian diet would make the elves nauseous from tasting, or smelling, any food not made out of green.

The food was ready, and it was time to dig in. Keya recovered and regained her appetite. However, she sat about 12-feet-away from me, not wanting to go through the nausea again. I took a bite of the grilled boar and onions, and sighed in ecstasy of how amazing they tasted.

Keya was also enjoying her meal, having been sent into a trance from just nibbling on her grilled carrots and radishes, which surprisingly resembled daikons.

Again, we didn’t have any plates, so we used small flat rocks with green leaves on top as a substitute. I’ll worry about dysentery later.

After we finished eating, Keya and I just stared at the fire, doing what we can to pass the time. I turned to notice Keya holding a piece of dead wood, using her dagger to carve away the rough edges. Arching an eyebrow, I scooted over to get a closer look. It wasn’t complete yet, but the shape of it appeared to be that of an animal. She blew away the shaving and placed it on her side, on the ground. It was a boar. Not just any boar, but the same boar I had killed.

“You can carve wood?” I pointed out inquisitively.

She brushed a strand of her hair to the side and grinned weakly. She replied, “Y-yes, I can. It’s been a hobby since I was a child. Father never approved of it, thinking it was just a waste of time, but…I never could stop loving it.”

I picked the wooden figurine up and admired its’ precise detail. Just looking at it made me forget everything that has happened, almost like there was some magic in it. Not that there was, that is.

I said wholeheartedly, “I think it’s beautiful.”

She blushed and looked away.

“Tell me. Why did you carve the boar though?” I asked with a puzzled expression. I held the statue close to my face. She even got the scars and wounds I inflicted right down accurately.

Then her face fell into a frown. Making eye contact, she explained, “I wanted to immortalize the creature. It was a mother with children of its’ own, but now that since the mother is dead, the piglets will probably die.”

“How do you know it’s a mother?”

She analyzed, “You can tell from the way her nipple were erect, indicating that it was suckling its young, and the way its’ coat was distorted from childbirth. Don’t worry. I’m the younglings are old enough to fend for themselves.” The way she spoke was cold and sorrowful. This was not the Keya from before, which scared me a little.

Then again, the way she said all of it made me feel bad for killing the boar, even though it was a boastful jerk.

She clasped her hands and regained her smile, saying, “Now then! What shall we do for the rest of the evening?!”

Glad to see the old Keya back!

I drew my sword, noticing the blood stains on the blade. It’s not because I forgot to clean it. It’s just because I didn’t have anything to clean it with, which I should’ve done back at the village.

“Hey, Keya. Do you have anything to clean a sword?” I asked.

Keya raised her eyebrows as she stared at me.

She answered, “Actually, I do.” She reached into her rucksack and pulled out a rag and a bota bag. Then she gingerly handed them to me.

“This bag is filled with water. Use it with the rag to wash the blade off, but make sure you dry it well. If not, the blade will rust,” she instructed conversantly.

I took the rag and bag and smiled, thanking Keya for her assistance. I said reassuringly, “Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to clean the rag and give it back to you.”

She grinned, stating in a mild manner, “That’s alright. You can return it any time you want.” She waved her hand nonchalant as her cheeks turned red.

Opening the cap, I poured the water onto the blade, washing some of the blood off before I stopped. After putting the bota bag down, I grabbed the rag and began whipping it against the wet steel. The blade was clean. I could see my reflection on the surface. Just then, I noticed a 3 in crack in the middle. Oh boy. This is not good.

“Hey Keya. You’ve been in the area long enough. Do you know if there are any blacksmiths around?” I asked clueless.

She rubbed her chin in deep thought, raising her brows while trying to remember. She replied uncertainly, “I’m not sure. Maybe the status’s map might give us a location.”

I checked the map. I was relieved to find a town 13 feet north of our location. It was called “Strongfair” and, according to the map’s database, it’s a forgetown, meaning that it’s a town of metalsmiths.

“Well, I guess that settles it then.” Standing up, I stretched and put my sword back in my belt. “Starting tomorrow, we’ll head to Strongfair and, along with getting my sword fix, we’ll see what else we can find there.”

Keya arched an eyebrow and retorted, “That long of a journey? Just to fix a minor crack in your sword?”

When she said it, it did sound a little stupid. I rubbed the back of my neck, flashing a nervous grin while letting out a soft chuckle. I commented light-heartedly, “Yeah…I know it sounds ridiculous, but I just thought we could find something to do to and maybe find some adventure there, instead of staying around this campfire and do nothing, or wander around until something comes towards us.”

Shaking her head, she grinned and agreed blithely, “Alright! You convinced me! We can go to Strongfair! With the 3 silver coins we earned from our last quest, we might not only be able to afford repairs, but also might find something useful to purchase.”

Once that was all settled, we waited for the fire to die down. Only a small ember was left as we lied on the moist grass, staring at the stars in the sky as we drifted into deep slumber.


	6. Chapter 6

The morning arose as the sun’s golden glow illuminated across the landscapes. The buzzing sound of the cicadas echoed throughout the forest. Walking across the cobblestoned road, heading north, was Keya and Akio as they headed upward to Strongfair. They had walked a mile away from their campsite and didn’t stop to enjoy the scenery.

Stretching his arms before hearing them crack, Akio turned to Keya and asked, “So, are we any closer to the town?”

“Indeed, we are. We’re about an hour away from reaching Strongfair,” She informed gladly, checking the map setting before turning back to me.

That’s a relief! I thought we were going to be walking forever. However, I couldn’t help shake the feeling we were being watched.

Observing from a distance, Leni carefully leaped from branch to branch, making sure not to be discovered by her targets. She thought: It’s been four days since I’ve been sent to spy on those two, but it’ll all be over when I’ve got enough information to prove that this “Akio” boy is the hero summoned to this world! After the ordeal that happened at that Goblin Campsite—Creator rests their souls—and the boar fight that happened yesterday, I still don’t have enough evidence to support it. Gods! When is something else going to happen, so I can go home?! She groaned in frustration as she started losing little patience.

Snapping out of her train of thought, Leni panicked, noticing how much she had lost track as the two were now far from where she was. She quickly dashed to catch up.

Shit! I trailed off again! The Representatives will have my head if I lose sight of the hero!

Meanwhile, Keya and Akio had finally arrived at Strongfair’s entrance and compared to the previous places they were at, the town was much different.

“Umm…is this the right place,” Akio asked in bewilderment. Keya felt the same, having a similar astonished expression on her face.

A giant wall made out of steel surrounded the town with the only access inside was a giant double door made of strong oak. Lucky for the two, the door was opened all the way, allowing them to see the entire interior. As a forge town, Strongfair lived up to its’ name.

Looking at the map, Keya cringed in intimidation as she replied, “Yes, this is the place.”

They took a minute to take it all in. with a deep breath, Keya and Akio quickly sauntered in as they did not want to keep the people behind them waiting.

The two looked around and were amazed by the sight before them. On every corner were smith shops, selling various weapons and appliances, from swords to even forks and spoons. Keya and Akio were astonished by how many blacksmiths populated the town, watching them work as they forged outside of their shops in outdoor smithies.

“Look Akio! They ven have elven smiths too!” Keya remarked, pointing at a shop to her left.

While they saw many human blacksmiths, they were amazed at smiths of other races as well.

“Hey, Keya. Are Elven smiths any good?” Akio asked with a curious expression. “There are stores with elven blacksmiths, but are they any better than other blacksmiths?”

Keya stopped and twirled in front of him. The elven girl looked insulted, glaring at her companion with piercing eyes. She placed both hands on her hips and puffed her cheeks. She reprimanded fumingly, “How dare you! Our blacksmiths are the most talented of the elvish race! It is an insult to say that anything they’ve crafted is less than befitting!” she was unaware of the attention she was drawing from her outburst.

Akio backed away in shock. It was the first time seeing Keya so angry compared to her sunny disposition. He smiled and raised his hands nonthreateningly. He whispered in an apologetic tone, “Calm down! I didn’t mean anything offensive! I was just asking!”

They heard chuckling from behind them. Keya and Akio turned their attention to a shop where two dwarves sat outside, smoking long wooden pipes while lounging in the sunlight.

They took a hit and blew rings of smoke as they exhaled. Keya glared, waiting for one of the dwarves to speak.

“If there is something you wish to say, then speak!?” she hissed through gritted teeth.

Tapping the bottom of the pipe to throw away the burned tobacco, the red-bearded dwarf spoke up. He said in an accent, “You say the elves are the best blacksmiths, lass, but you be mistaken.”

“Ay! The best blacksmiths in the world are the dwarves for we make the strongest, sturdiest, and most durable weapons to ever exist,” said the black-bearded dwarf with pride. “The only thing the elven smiths know what to do is carefully placing jewels on silverware and rings!”

Then the two burst in hysteria. Unbeknownst to them, Keya was about to lose her cool. She had been so insulted in her life. However, this was not an insult to her personal pride, but an insult to the elven people, and she just couldn’t stand it when people besmirched her race.

Biting down on her teeth, Keya exploded in a maelstrom of fury and rage, spatting at the dwarves who seemed unfazed by her ranting, saying, “Listen here, you arrogant little knuckle-draggers! We elves have known the craft of metal before you lot burst out of the grown, and you have the gull to say…”

Luckily, Akio was quick to silence her, covering her mouth with his hand and restraining her as he moved back, trying his best to hold her still despite her body thrusting furiously.

He smiled meekly and bowed his head. He said in respect, “I’m terribly sorry for my friend’s outburst! We’ve been walking all day and she’s just tired! Please forgive her and we’ll be on our way!” with that settled, Akio dragged Keya away, ignoring the looks they were receiving from that little incident.

30-minutes-later, Keya finally cooled down, albeit still looking a little earnest as she walked beside her friend with a scowl.

“Did you really have to yell a those two just because of a one little insult?” Akio questioned with an arched eyebrow.

Puffing her cheeks, Keya snapped her neck to the boy and countered while crossing her arms, “Yes! Yes, I did! As a noble lady of the elven race, I was taught to be proud of my heritage, no matter what other races say…especially what a bunch of dwarves have to say.” The last part she said was low yet seethed with venom.

Akio was flabbergasted. This was a side of Keya he had never seen before. All Akio could think was: What does Keya have against the dwarves?

25-minutes-later, the two had walked into one of the smith shops. Albert’s Repair Shop was what it was called. Keya and Akio proceeded inside and when they brought the Blade of Accord to the owner, he examined it with a pair of goggles with three lenses to adjust the view.

“Well, this is a very old sword!” the owner said in astonishment, carefully holding the blade up to his face. “I might be able to fix it…for the cost of 20 silver coins.”

Keya and Akio’s jaws immediately dropped to the floor upon hearing the price.

“We…we don’t have that much money!” Akio exclaimed with bulging eyes.

“D-don’t you h-have a cheaper price f-for repairs?!” inquired Keya, stuttering while droplets of sweat fell from her pretty face.

Scratching the stubbles of his chin, Albert leaned back from the counter against the wall and shrugged. He declared with a half-hearted apology, “I’m sorry, but that’s the price for repairs in my shop, and even if you ask another store, it’ll be the same. Nothing’s cheap in Strongfair.”

Sad and dejected, Keya and Akio were about to exit the shop with their heads staring at the floor. However, they halted their leave when the shopkeeper called them out.

“Although, there is one shop that has cheaper prices.”

The two looked back, listening carefully with long grins filled with hope.

“There’s a shop about three blocks away from here, up west, that’s owned by an elderly dwarf and his granddaughter,” he continued.

Keya’s grin quickly dropped from hearing the word “Dwarf”. Akio noticed it, but didn’t bother to ask what was wrong. So, he turned and resumed listening.

“The old man’s is really talented, able to make high-quality weapons with only the finest materials, yet it’s a mystery where he get’s them. I met the guy myself and he’s a real queer fellow, always jolly and humble, and never being rude or miserly with the customers. Probably, the reason why they’re at such a cheap price is because he’s a nice guy and just makes enough to survive, or something like that.

His granddaughter, on the other hand, is a real spitfire. While she helps her grandfather around the house, she can be like a stubborn caretaker, working around the house while making sure her grandfather doesn’t croak. She even haggles the customers with higher prices, making them spend more money on the items that don’t even cost much.”

She sounds like someone you don’t want to mess with! Akio grimaced at the thought of such a girl. Keya, however, remained deadpanned.

“If you are going over there, make sure it’s the shabby brown and red shack with the sign ‘Faldrum’s Smithy.’ If you go pass that, you’ve gone too far.”

Keya and Akio left the repair shop, thanking the shopkeeper for all his help and proceeded up west. It took them 15 minutes of passerby’s bumping into them, but their faces lit up when they saw the red and brown shack in front of them. However, they were dumbfounded as there were three red and brown shacks standing up against each other.

“So, which one’s the right shack?” Keya asked.

They examined the signs, thoroughly checking each one.

“Tyr…Goldemar…ah, here it is! Faldrum!” Akio shouted happily, having a wide smile on his face. He pointed the finger of his right hand at the house on the right and he and Keya strolled right onto the front door.

When they got a good look, they were baffled.

Akio remarked in a critical tone, “Is this really a shop? It looks like someone’s house, instead.”

Shrugging her shoulders, Keya mused, “Well, you never know. A dwarven house is known for being very deceitful to the eyes.”

Walking up, Akio gingerly knocked on the door three times. There was no answer. So, he tried it again. This time, it was much harder than before. Suddenly, I loud scream was heard from above. The two looked upon and were surprised at the sight of someone falling right at them.

Smack! Akio couldn’t see anything. His view was shrouded in darkness and the only thing present was the throbbing pain in the back of his head.

What the hell is this? Why is everything so dark and…what smells like lilies?!

“Akio, are you alright?! Say something?!”

He heard Keya’s voice and was relieved that it was close by. He called for help. Unfortunately, there were no words, but a muffling sound. He struggled to breathe, unable to see or move. A soft, warm leathery and somewhat squishy pillow was pressed against the boy’s face. It took Akio a moment to realize the logical reason behind this darkness…someone was sitting on his face.

Leaning back up from her almost nasty fall, a young dwarf girl with peach-colored skin, red hair, and emerald green eyes observed her surroundings while rubbing the back of her head. She was dressed in a brown leather bodice top that exposed her cleavage and midriff, tight leather shorts, ankle-high five-laced boots, and a pair of bronze gauntlets with black straps wrapped around her arms.

“Hmm…oh! My head!”

She was made aware at what she had crashed into when she looked down behind her. She gasped with her jaw dropping to the ground. Akio tried to say, “Get off me!” But the message fell to death’s ear as the dwarf girl quickly got up and punched the boy right in the face, over and over. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, you freak?! Pervert?!” shouted the dwarf girl in anguish.

Keya just stood still, covering her eyes and cringing in fear while she did nothing, and allowed her friend to be pummeled. Akio attempted to speak up, hoping to reason with his assailant. Unfortunately, it fell on deaths ear as she lifted him up, pile-driving him right into the ground, despite her small size.

Akio’s face was covered in bumps and bruises with a trickle of blood coming out of his nose.

“That’s what you get for planting your face in my but, you sicko!”

“Akio!” shouted Keya. She was shocked and horrified, hovering over the boy’s unconscious body. “That was a little too much, don’t you think?!”

The dwarf girl clapped her hands to remove the dust. Turning her attention to Keya, she retorted, having a scowl and a hand to her hip, “Not at all. Had to teach the creep a lesson.”

“B-but he’s not a creep! We’re just here looking for someone to repair Akio’s broken sword!” Keya protested in anger.

Crouching down, she helped Akio up while providing him leverage to regain his equilibrium.

“Eh?”

The dwarf’s face turned pale followed by a nervous gulp.

“Why I have the nerve to turn you over the authorities for reckless brutality!” Keya threatened with a glare.

Waving her hands, the dwarf girl attempted to calm the elf girl. She pleaded, “Woah! Woah! You don’t have to go that far!”

She grabbed the boy’s hand and shook it rapidly.

“It was just a mistake, you see! Also, I didn’t properly introduce myself! My name is Grimhilda Faldrum, granddaughter of Torstein Faldrum, at your service! Sorry about what happen earlier, but it was a good thing it didn’t get ugly!” she chuckled nervously at the end.

“Besides, I don’t want to get in trouble with the law, again!” she added whisperingly.

“I have minor head trauma and you don’t call that ugly?” Akio deadpanned in anger. His face had mysteriously returned to normal, yet he could still feel the pain throughout his body.

Letting go of his hand, Grimhilda strolled up to the door and opened it with the key in her pocket.

She called while gesturing a hand, “Come on in! We just started opening up shop!”

“At this late in the afternoon?” Akio pointed out.

Grimhilda chuckled while scratching her face. She explained, “Ay…my grandfather sleeps from 6AM to 1PM. So, it’s hard to open up shop when the blacksmith is not working. Fortunately, it does give me time to spruce up the old place before we open.”

Keya and Akio sauntered into the house, closing it behind them as Grimhilda guided them into the living room.

Sitting in a rocking chair, there was an elderly dwarf with a long gray beard taking a nap while he emitted a loud snore. Grimhilda groaned and walked up to the old dwarf. Placing her hands on his right arm, she carefully shook him awake.

“Grandpa! Wake up! We have costumers!” she said in a calm tone.

The old man ceased snoring and instantly opened his yes. He snapped his head rapidly in confusion. It took him awhile to collect his bearings before turning to his granddaughter, and then to Keya and Akio.

“Hilda, what time is it? We don’t open shop until 1PM,” he pointed out.

“It’s one already, you old fart!” Grimhilda irate.

Having a shocked expression, Torstein quickly got up out of his chair, threw his blanket to the side, and gingerly waltzed out of the room.

“Why didn’t you wake me up sooner, lass! We need to get everything read before the costumers leave!”

He started to panic. His motion was very slow, carefully not straining himself while having a hand on his back while stomping like there was no tomorrow. With each step, he shook the ground with such tremendous force. Keya, Akio, and Grimhilda had trouble keeping their balance.

Grimhilda dashed and grabbed her grandfather’s arm, stopping him and flashed him a reassuring grin.

She confirmed, “Grandpa! The sign is already turned over, so they’ll know that the store is open. But, what I mean to say is that we already have customers, already!”

Keya and Akio were bewildered by the two, having the same thought: These two can’t possibly be related!

Torstein turned his attention to the two. He noticed the medallion around Keya’s neck and gasped, bowing his head in respect as he greeted, “I’m sorry for wasting your time with my laziness! It is a pleasure to have such esteemed patrons within my humble establishment!”

Confused and surprised, Keya and Akio didn’t know how to respond to the old man’s comment. A droplet of sweat formed on Keya and Akio’s heads as they were taken aback. Keya gestured her hands down calmingly and smiled, correcting in agitation, “No! No! You are mistaken! We aren’t esteemed in any way! We’re just here to repair my friend’s sword and also browse!”

They’ all sat in the living. Grimhilda and the old man made some tea for their guests, treating them with the best hospitality they could muster. Akio handed his sword to the old man and he examined it with caution.

“My…this is a very old sword. I’m surprised it’s still in one piece!’ commented Torstein.

“Does that mean you can fix it?” Akio asked straightforwardly.

The old man scowled at the boy, giving him an annoyed huff as he placed the sword on the table. Standing up, he shouted in hubris, “Of course, I can! I can fix anything with these old hands of mine!”

His granddaughter dragged him back down on the couch. Grimhilda pinched the bridge of her nose while shaking her head in irritation. Her grandfather caught up and flustered as he became embarrassed from making such a scene.

“H-however, it will cost you,” he remarked.

“How much?” Keya questioned.

“1 silver coin.”

The two were relieved at how cheap it was.

Tornstein added, “Unfortunately, it will take about a day to seal up the crack, which is lucky for you, young man! One more swing and this sword of yours would’ve shattered into pieces!”

Akio did not like the sound of that.

“In the mean time, we have some extra rooms. We’ve been talking so long it’s already pass afternoon! So, you can stay here for the night until your sword is ready.”

“What?!” Keya and Grimhilda shouted in unison.

“I don’t want some…pervert sleep under the same roof as us, grandpa! I’d rather get captured by an ogre than let him sleep in the guest room, along with his elf bimbo!” Grimhilda protested, flustering as she pointed at the boy.

“I have a similar feeling when the thought of sleeping in a house filled with uncouth barbarians!” argued Keya. She had been offended by the dwarf’s statement and couldn’t help but retaliate.

Grimhilda sneered as she turned her attention to the elf girl.

“What did you say?!”

Standing up, Keya walked up to the dwarf girl, staring down at her with a glare.

“Oh, you heard me! I said I didn’t want to sleep in a house filled with uncouth barbarians!”

The two then growled at each other, but not before Akio grabbed his friend and dragged her upstairs. He shouted, “Thank you for the room, good sir! Sorry for my friend! She’s just having an off day! She didn’t mean anything! We’ll get settled in real quick while my friend cools off!”

“Be sure to go into the last room, on the right!” said the old man

“Thank you!”

Akio brought his friend into the guest room before throwing her onto the frill-covered bed and closing the door behind him. At that moment, he started banging his head against the door, but then stopped as he started receiving a headache.

“Akio?”

Keya cooled down. She was puzzled at her friend’s action, but tensed when she saw Akio beaming at her. She didn’t understand why he was angry but she was about to find out soon.

Trotting up to her, he yelled, “What the hell is wrong with you?! How could you say such a thing when that man just gave us a place to stay for the night?!”

“Me?! Didn’t you just hear what that pint size girl said to us?! She called you a pervert and me a bimbo?!” Keya argued.

“Yeah, I heard, but I try to be the bigger person and turn the other cheek! That’s another thing! What do you have against dwarves?! What have thy done to you?!”

Keya took a deep breath and chuckled, planting a hand on her face, as she looked away form Akio. The boy began to feel uncomfortable by this. His anger then disappeared, becoming unnerved by Keya’s gesture.

She looked up with somber eyes at the boy. Then she stated, “That’s right, you have amnesia. So, you don’t know the whole story then, I see.”

She patted the other side of the bed, gesturing Akio to sit next to her. He complied. Once he sat down, she started telling him everything.

“For as long as my people can remember, the elves and the dwarves have been enemies. We elves feared, hated, and envied the dwarves, and I guess it’s vice versa for the latter. Most times, we fought over certain things like land and resources. Other times, we just fought for no reason. We even told our children stories to scare them into behaving! It was the same with me, and my brothers and sisters.”

Then silence fell upon the two. Neither one of them spoke, or continued to speak. Finally, Keya continued, “I’m sorry, Akio, for yelling at you and causing such a stir in the center of town, and even nearly starting a fight with Grimhilda. It’s just…I was taught to hate the dwarves, but I never asked myself WHY I hated them.”

She tensed up as she felt the boy’s hand on her shoulder. She blushed and turned towards him, feeling warmth from seeing his understanding smile. He lectured sympathetically, “It’s okay, Keya. I’m not angry at you anymore. After hearing all of that, I can see why you couldn’t help but lash out at Hilda after what she said to us, but you shouldn’t think the way your people think. Being proud of what you are is a good thing but having the same kind of pride as your people? That’s not pride. That’s arrogance. And that’s not healthy. You need to throw away your people’s views and create your own, and that way you can be your own person with your own ideas. Not a parrot repeating what she was taught. Who knows! Maybe Grimhilda and her grandfather are savages, or maybe they’re nice folks. You never know until you try to get to know them.”

Keya thought deeply about all Akio had just said and smiled. Standing back up, Akio reached his hand, wanting Keya to grab it. He said, “You ready to come back down stairs?”

She nodded, “Yes…I would like that.” she gripped and lifted herself up.

“Oh, by the way…” Akio twirled and faced the elf girl while arching a brow. “What’s a…parrot?”

Parrots do not exist in the world of Ashura. So, Keya would be confused by such an alien word.

“Umm…it’s nothing! Just…something that popped into my head!” He lied.

“Come on! Let’s not keep our hosts waiting!”

They waltzed out of the room and headed down stairs. The Faldrums had prepared dinner for all of them. Beef stew, it was, and it looked delicious. However, right before they could eat, Keya had passed out from the stench of boiled meat.

Meanwhile, back in the chambers of the Twelve…

A messenger walked into the circular stoned room, having a tight grip on his parcel as he became nervous.

“M-my lords and ladies. I-I have such dire news!” he said with a stutter.

Representative Kar scowled in annoyance, ordering, “Well, what is it?! Spit it out, good man!”

“The Dark Lord’s forces are advancing from the southeast of the continent! They’ve desolated five towns and are continuing to the nearest one!”

This was very stressful to the council as they began murmuring loudly amongst themselves. Some even breaking down in distraught and terror.

“Oh no! We’re doomed! The dark Lord’s forces are already making their move!”

“Wait…Isn’t the Halfling Leni positioned in the southeast?” said one of the representatives.

Shrugging his shoulders, another representative replied, “Oh well, I guess we’ll have to send in another on. Those vermin breed faster, so they’re expendable.”

“But, isn’t the summoned hero somewhere in that area, also?”

A moment later, it became quiet. Then one of the representatives responded.

“…Oh, damn it.”

Somewhere in the southeast…

There lied a village. It was burning and was completely in ruins. Bodies littered the streets. Men, women, and children…all of them were dead. Except for only one. She crawled, dragging her mangled body across the dirt road.

“Have to…get help…” she kept telling herself. She was so close to the entranceway. So close to escape from what befell her poor village. However, it was all in vain as she gasped in unbearable pain as a sharp spear pierced right through her back and into her heart.

Gripping the spear was an arm without skin or muscle with the rest of the body having decayed for years. Its’ eyes glowed ominous green while its’ dried and withered hair blew in the wind. Pulling the spear out of the dead girl’s back, the undead soldier continued its patrol around the village, searching for any more survivors, and it wasn’t alone. More undead soldiers wandered throughout, dragging each body outside of town and piling them up, one by one, and setting fire to all of the buildings.

“Is that all of them?”

The soldiers turned and trembled

Standing before their presence was a tall, robust knight with withered blonde hair, black eyes, and inhumanly gray skin with a hole on each side of his mouth. He was dressed in beaten and worn out knight’s armor with a tattered plaid scarf around his neck and steel chains around his chest plate to hold it all together, two skull-shaped shoulder blades, and chain mailed trousers with steel boots, and leather straps around his legs and waist. On his back was a long cross-shaped spear with a shield made of bones keeping it in from falling off.

The knight looked and flared his nostrils, satisfied at the carnage that had taken place. He turned to the soldiers as he stared down at them from his tremendous height. Then he turned to pile of corpses.

“Is that all of them?” he asked, turning back to his men with a glowered expression.

“Yes, my commander. Every carcass in the village as been gathered and accounted for,” one of the soldiers answered in an eerie tone.

The knight sauntered over to one of the piles, lifting the hand of one of the bodies and made sure they were still intact. He says exuberantly, turning back with his hands behind his back, “Excellent. The master will be pleased. These bodies will make perfect recruits for the Dark Lord’s Army.”

He marched forward and the brigade of the undead followed, heading north to their next destination. The bodies were placed in 3 carts pulled by skeletons that quickly caught up to speed with their group, leaving the village behind as it burnt asunder.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day came. I woke up and got ready for breakfast. Thanks to the Faldrum's having a lot of spare rooms, Keya and I could sleep in separate beds. Thank god! I didn't want another repeat of what happened in Kor and we didn't have enough money for compensation.

_Well…let's get this day going._

For some reason, I couldn't help but shake this awful feeling of gloom. Almost like something was coming. Last night, I had dreams of a dark shadow, wrapping its hands around my body before it consumed me into a black abyss filled with horrifying creatures and malformed abominations, tearing me limb from limb as I screamed for it to end.

I gasped when I heard a knock on the door. The sound brought me out of my recollection.

"Hey pervert! Time to get up! Breakfast has already been prepared! Stop having wet dreams and get out here!" Grimhilda's voice appeared behind the door.

"Alright! Already! I'll be out as soon as I get dress! You half-pint!" I snapped. I felt my blood boiled as a cross-shaped vein formed on the side of my head.

The door slammed again. This time, it was louder than before with cracks forming on the wood as she irate loudly, "What did you call me?!" her tone scared the crap out of me.

After getting dressed, I headed out and climbed down the stairs, and straight into the dining room where I saw all Keya and the two dwarves sitting together, eating on plates made of jade. Keya and Grimhilda were at the front of the table, sitting face-to-face while they ate. I was surprised that there wasn't any comebacks or yelling towards one another. However, the two would pause and glare before they resumed. The old man, however, looked blissful as he ate, either unaware of the animosity of the two or pretending to be oblivious.

I sat at the end of the table. There was a plate with food already in front of me. What was strange was that it was filled with just meat like sausages, stake, blood pudding, large strips of bacon, and there was even a turkey leg. There was enough meat on that plate to clog my arteries with fat. Having played a lot of games, I know that dwarves love meat and potatoes, which might be another reason why elves don't like them.

"Glad you made it here, Akio," said the old man. "I would like you to know that your sword is nearly complete."

"That's great!" I smiled ecstatically.

The old man grinned, taking amusement from my excitement. He continued, "Ay. It was easy to seal the cracks. However, It took me all night to replace the hilt and refashioned the handle as it had withered and rusted for years. So, I'll probably have it ready in the early evening." His tone was very casual throughout the sentence.

I deadpanned and pointed out, "So…it's going to another couple of hours, huh?"

His lenient response had gotten to my nerves. Luckily, I was able to shrug it off. It didn't hurt to wait for a couple of hours.

"In the mean time, you and your friend can stay and help around the shop. We can use some new blood to help with the sells, especially since we have a cute elf girl with us," he offered cheekily.

Keya's spit take was heard. She turned, facing the old man with red cheeks, yelling, "I beg your pardon?!" she took offense to Tornstein's remark. Unfortunately, despite looking angry, many of us couldn't help but chuckle at her flushed face.

Waving his hand, the old man smiled with a giggle. He corrected, "please, don't take it the wrong way, Ms. Aieadora. I meant that with such a pretty young lady, we could attract more customers to our shop with such a beautiful smile."

"Gee! Thanks grandpa! I was sure I had a beautiful smile, but I guess that misunderstanding is cleared up!" deadpanned Grimhilda sarcastically. She slouched with frown and a scowl.

"Well, I can't help but say such things to a pretty lady. Besides, with your attitude, we keep losing customers," admonished Tornstein as he scolded his granddaughter.

The dwarf girl growl as she became angry. She slammed her hands on the table and roared, "Well, excuse me for trying to make more money in this rat heap! I can't help but try to squeeze some extra coins from those misery rich folks who walk in and take advantage for your charity!"

"That may be the case, but you don't have to scare them away every time you try to haggle them, or even threaten them when you accuse them of looking down your bodice!"

I remained silent and ignored their bickering while eating my delicious, albeit overcooked breakfast. Keya, on the other hand, was still flustered and in a daze. I guess she's unable to take so much complimentary in a single day.

1:30PM…

After breakfast, the costumers appeared in the shop. If you want to know, the shop is located in the back of the shop, and it was quite small. I was standing in front of the counter, taking people's money as they bought the merchandise. Unfortunately, Grimhilda was my co-cashier and working with her was extremely strenuous.

"Hey! You touch it; you buy it!" she barked at a costumer who was holding a war hammer.

Seeing the dwarf girl's snarling expression terrified the young woman, causing her to dash out as she screamed in fright. Her grandfather was right. She does scare the costumers away.

Keya, on the other hand, was doing okay by herself. All she had to do was stand in front of the store and look pretty.

"This is unacceptable!"

Like as if on queue, Keya stormed in with fury in her eyes. She walked up to the counter her face turning tomato while stuttering in embarrassment.

"Oh, come on, it's not that bad," I remarked.

Puffing her cheeks, she turned her attention to me in consternation. She shouted, "Not that bad?! Not that bad?! Look at what I'm wearing!"

She wasn't kidding. Right when I got a better look, my face turned red as blood shot out of my nose. Right in front of me, she was dressed in a French maid outfit that was extremely provocative. I mean, the skirt length was too short, which gave a better view of her panties.

_Silk and frilly…_

The top was a little small, tightly hugging her breasts and amplifying her cleavage. Lastly, she was wearing black stockings that wrapped smoothly around her legs and black high-heels over them.

The sight of it was too much for me. The blood wouldn't stop dripping out of my nose and I was about to pass out from blood loss. Keya looked worried and disturbed by it, reaching in to ask, "What's wrong".

Holding my hands out, I stopped her while shielding my eyes from gazing below her neck. I had never seen the outfit the old man gave her. So, I just assumed it was professional attire. I didn't think Tornstein was a dirty old man.

"Okay! I get it! It's revealing!" I exclaimed.

Unless there's a maid café in town, I didn't want to know why that old man had such an outfit, but I could guess it was for something…weird. I snapped my neck to Grimhilda with bulging eyes. She looked jaded; her scowl was obvious. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to Keya and tried my best not to stare.

She asked in distress, "It's too revealing! Is there anyway I can gather costumers without wearing this harlot getup?!"

She covered her arms around, doing her best to hide any visible parts of her body while quivering at the various eyes beamed all over her.

"I didn't know the princess was so easily embarrassed," Grimhilda mused sardonically.

Keya glared, as her cheeks got redder. "Yes! I'm embarrassed and if you were in my shoes, you'd feel embarrassed as well!"

She was right, there was a much better way to attract costumers without that much fanservice. On the other hand, it seemed to have worked as the more Keya stood in that maid cosplay outside of the shop, the more costumers it attracted. That included the pervs that only stuck around to harass the poor elf girl.

After I told her, "I'll see what I can do," I stood up and sprinted out of the shop and into the main house. Before I left, I got a glimpse at Keya's alleviated smile. I looked throughout the entire house, hoping to find Tornstein, so to convince him to get Keya out of that maid outfit. That's when I noticed a trap door in the middle of the hallway.

I knew I shouldn't intrude, but I shrugged and proceeded climbing down. After I set my food on the dirt-covered floor, I turned around and gasped, feeling my jaw nearly dropping to the ground. Right in front of me was an underground forger. It had everything. There was an anvil on the right, a forge in the center, and a water trough in the back, and a tool carrying rack on the left.

Tornstein was sitting on a stool as struck his hammer against a heated blade on his anvil, wearing protective goggles while sparks flew from the metal and struck his face. Once he finished, he grabbed his tongs and brought the blade to the trough, submerging it as it cooled and steamed began to fester.

"Oh, Akio. I didn't think you would come down here," said the old man in mild befuddlement. He was done cooling the blade and resumed hitting it again with his hammer.

I looked around in awe and asked, "What is this place?"

"This! Dear Boy! Is the Faldrum's family smithy where every weapon produced in the shop originates and all done by these hands!" said the old man, holding his hands up to show the burns and scars.

The sight raised my eyes, but I shook it off and returned to being stoic. It explained why there was a chimney pipe leading straight underground. I walked further with my hands in my pockets. I noticed an ax with a skull hanging on the wall. It had an ominous and eerie aura, almost like it was bathed in the essence of something evil.

"What's that?" I asked, pointing at the ax.

The old man turned and looked back. He answered straightforwardly, "Oh, that is the ax of Amon, one of the 7 generals of the Dark Lord. I found it on the battlefield a few years ago and, since then, I hung it up on my forges wall to give me inspiration while I work. Although, sometimes, it does give me nightmares, but…it's worth it."

"So, what is it that you need?" the old man added inquisitively.

Scratching the back of my head, I asked in a fastidious manner, "Keya's becoming too unnerved by the outfit you gave her. Would it be alright if she changed out of it into something more…comfortable for her?"

The old man rubbed his beard while he pondered the thought.

Then he inquired quizzically, "Why would she not like it? I thought she would enjoy wearing the maid outfit because it would make her look cute. Also, I assumed a woman of her noble stature wouldn't mind the attention she was receiving."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…Keya is of noble blood. So, it would make sense that she wouldn't mind the attention."

I had known the elf girl for three days, and I doubt she likes the attention, especially the attention she's receiving at the moment. In fact, she downright despises it. Even while traveling, she tried to act humble at best, despite sounding a bit condescending at times.

I glared. Crushing the bridge between my eyes, I looked back and crossed my arms. I corrected the old man in an analytical manner, "Mr. Faldrum, Keya is not like that. She's very reserved about herself and doesn't like the attention. She hates being in that maid costume and doesn't like the stares she's getting, nor the groping she's receiving."

My face grimaced, recalling a time a man slyly grabbing Keya by the butt before pulling back. Frankly, I wanted to punch the guy, but Keya's shocked reaction told me, "no", so not to make a scene.

I then heard the old dwarf chuckle. I turned back and arched an eye.

"Sorry! Sorry! It's just that when you're my age, you start to lose sight of people's character!" he remarked in a jovial manner. "Tell your friend she can get out of that wretched thing. I don't know why I keep my wife's old costume."

I…didn't need to hear that. Anyways, after nodding my head in confirmation, I proceeded up the stairs and back into the shop. My eyes furrowed in irritation from watching Keya having her skirt flipped upward by a young fat man in a brown tunic. I could tell she was holding back the urge to slap him, but still clenched her hands in restraint.

Once she calmed down and the pervert left, I strolled over and told her the news, which brought her much relief as she dashed out of the shop to go change. She came back, 20-minutes-later, into her old clothes.

"Huh? You changed out of that quickly. What? Did the princess not like to be gazed by horny men?" Grimhilda spoke up humorously, letting out a loud chuckle while receiving a glare from Keya.

"I'll have you know, wearing that suit was the most excruciating experience of my life, having all those men groping me and touching me in places I didn't want touch!" Keya countered, crossing her arms and staring daggers at the dwarf girl.

"Yeah! Well! I guess I'm fortunate I was born a dwarf because no cretin would dare touch someone like me! Then again, I'm surprise no one ever groped me since I do have the best curves!" Grimhilda mocked in a condescending manner.

Keya fumed as the dwarf girl grinned and posed. I couldn't help but chuckle at their squabble. It was like watching two sisters bickering over who is prettier than the other, or a pair of cats fighting over a can of tuna. The patrons started to take some amusement from their little comical routine.

Suddenly…I gasped. I felt a dark presence looming over the fiber of my body. I lost balance in my body as I staggered and fell. Luckily, I managed to keep myself from tumbling over by lifting my body on the counter. My eyes bulged in horror and my breathing became frantic. I felt the beads of sweat falling from my brow and dripping onto the wooden floor.

Keya and Grimhilda stopped their bickering and turned their attention to me. Reaching her arm, Keya gingerly walked over and placed her hand on my back.

"Akio…are you alright?" she asked with a concerned expression.

Crossing her arms and arching a brow, Grimhilda's observed the look on my face, saying while rubbing her chin, "Yeah, you kind of look a little pale." She didn't sound entirely worried, but more in a half-heated sense.

It was a feeling like no other. It was something dark, something evil, and something horrendous that was coming our way. Then, I heard a scream. Getting back my footing, I dashed out of the house with Keya and Grimhilda following behind me. We all stopped and stared wide-eyed at what was before us. A cloud of darkness over the city as the dead started climbing over the walls, and tried to penetrate through the city's front gates, not even caring that they were closing. Citizens were running rampant in mass hysteria, retreating to any safe house and barricading themselves inside while the city guards fended themselves against the decaying horde.

I stood frozen still. I couldn't move, and I wasn't the only one. Keya and Grimhilda were stuck in place, as well, trying to comprehend the situation before hand. All I could think was: _What the hell is going on!?_


	8. Chapter 8

Darkness fell onto Strongfair. The army of the undead’s onslaught was slow, yet dreadful. The smaller ones began climbing up the wall while the ground forces attempted to break down the large gate that stood in their path.

Standing on top of a hill was the knight as he observed his forces progress.

 _Excellent. Now, let’s see how the living can fend themselves off against the dead._ Hands behind his back, the knight was pleased at the development that was before him.

“Lord Nergal!”

The knight turned and glared. Running up was a lone skeleton that trembled in front of its’ master. He was terrified of his masters’ tremendous size and knew not to disturb him while he was deep in thought.

“What do you want?!” Nergal seethed.

He could never tolerate sniveling, especially from his own men.

Calming his nerves, the skeleton straightened itself and responded in a placid manner, “Our troops are having difficulty breaching pass the front gate! It’s been barricaded from the inside, so we won’t be able to break through!”

The skeleton was still nervous from its’ tone of voice. Nergal scowled and let out a deep sigh.

He ordered, “Send in the draugs!”

The skeleton saluted and ran back down the hill. 35 minutes later, the undead stopped their assault on the gate. Moved out of the way, allowing the large brutes to march forward up to the gate. The draugs were hulking in size, standing about 12 feet i height, and had grey eyes, yellow teeth, and dried rotting skin that looked like it was soaked in the sea. They were covered in heavy armor that had been rusting and weathering over time, and large battle axes and swords in their hands.

They charged with a bellowing roar, striking their bodies against the hard wood and hearing the crackling sounds that emanated from the blows.

Behind the gate, there were four wooden pillars restraining the door as three of the guards tried their best to keep from falling apart.

“Keep hold of it, men! If these pillars fall, then all is lost!” said the first guard. He was wearing gray cape, signifying a high rank. “We need to keep hold before reinforcements arrive!”

“Captain! The gate is about to give in!” The third guard alerted the first guard, the captain.

The draugs struck once more. The door exploded with wood and debris flying all over the inside. The guards managed to run away as fast as they could and then watched in intimidation, seeing the undead horde swaggering their way into the city. Unsheathing their weapons the guards prepared to put their lives to protect their home. However, much of their hope diminished when they came face-to-face with the draugs.

“For Strongfair!” the captain screamed, waving his claymore in the air with such bravado.

The guard charged, raising their swords to strike. Unfortunately, their bravery was all for naught for as they got close to their enemies, the draugs swung their axes and clubs with quick speed, crushing the soldiers and watch their blood and entrails splash against their decaying skin.

Afterwards, the dead proceeded to break into every house in Strongfair, storming in and dragging every denizen out as they screamed in terror.

\---------------------------

In another part of the city, Keya, Grimhilda, and Akio stared in horror. Keya covered her mouth with her hands, choking her gasps while tears fell from her eyes. Akio stuttered; his hands shook as they clenched, trying to maintain some tranquility.

“W-what the hell are those things? Why is the dead attacking?” Akio inquired as he stuttered.

Keya trembled before answering, “The dream has come true! They…have arrived! The Dark Lords forces…” Akio couldn’t make up what she was saying and was now feeling worried.

Grimhilda, on the other hand, was angry. No…she was furious. She gritted her teeth and stomped her foot in the ground, getting the boy and the elf’s attention.

“What the fuck?! Everything was peaceful and quiet until these assholes showed up! I’ll make them pay for this!” said Grimhilda angrily.

She ran into the house and came back 2 minutes later. Keya and Akio were surprised at what was in her hands.

“Is that a war hammer?!” Akio exclaimed.

It was huge. The hammer’s handle was about a foot and a half long with the head about 15 inches big, which contrasted the dwarf girl’s height.

She grinned and replied, “You bet it is, brown-eyes! I’m going to teach those rotting meat bags a lesson for messing with my town! If you wish to help me, then that’ll be grand!”

She started to walk. However, she was halted by a firm grip on her shoulder. Grimhilda snapped her neck and saw it was Akio who stopped her.

Regaining his composure, Akio retorted, “Are you seriously going to go down and single-handedly take on those zombies and skeletons, even though they outnumber you 1 to 10? We need a plan before we’ all start gallivanting into battle!”

At first, Grimhilda looked away and seethed, but then sighed yet still retained her stern glare. She questioned, “Alright! So, what do you suggest we do, huh?!” She had her hand on her hip and turned her attention back to the boy.

Akio pondered that thought. Then he raised his hand and smiled, saying, “We can try performing ground control! We’ll go down and evacuate the entire city and while try to get everyone to safety, we can help fight against the undead and restore order back to Strongfair!”

“You do realize that everything you’ve just suggested sounded like a crappy suicide mission, right?” Grimhilda deadpanned.

At that moment, Akio just hung his head in disappointment. He knew it wasn’t going to work, but didn’t hurt to actually propose such an idea. Luckily, at least one person supported his plan.

“I think it was an effortful thought, Akio,” said Keya encouragingly, patting the boys’ shoulder with an assuring smile.

Akio couldn’t help but smile back. It was good to have someone who believes in you.

“Ahem!” Akio and Keya turned back to Grimhilda who had her arms crossed. “Okay, so let’s say we went with your plan, how are we suppose to evacuate everyone without getting ourselves killed?”

Akio paused for a minute. Then he proposed, “Well, I guess there’s no way of doing it without killing ourselves. So, we’ll just have to fight and hope we won’t get disemboweled in the long run.”

With a shrug, Grimhilda smiled and replied, “I’m okay with that.”

“It may be a little perilous, but it’s better than letting the entire town burn to ash,” Keya agreed.

Akio flashed a smug grin, feeling a sense of pride at how his friends sided with him. Unfortunately, he thought differently: _I should’ve thought of a better plan than recklessly and stupidly go out and letting us all fight! I mean this is the undead we’re talking about! With all the manga I’ve read and games I’ve played, they’ll just put themselves back together and we’ll be back in the same boat if we’re not careful!_ He started sweating bullets as he nervously quivered, but was still able to hold up his façade without the girls noticing.

With that, they dashed, heading into the warzone. “Wait!” before they could take another step, the three of them turned spun around and saw Tornstein exit his house. He was holding something long wrapped in a tarp as he walked out. He then tossed it at the boy who quickly caught it without dropping it on the ground.

“A warrior can’t go into battle without his sword.”

Unwrapping the tarp, Akio’s eyes widened when he saw it was his sword he was holding.

The old man then threw something else, but comically struck Keya right in the head before saying, “Also, miss, you forgot your staff.” She stood back up and rubbed the large bump that protruded on the side of her head until it vanished. Akio and Grimhilda were blue with shock. The old man quickly apologized with Keya waving her hand, “It’s okay!”

Getting up with her staff in hand, Keya brushed herself off and smiled. “Now, shall we get going then?” she said.

Akio and Grimhilda were stunned. However, as the elf girl walked forward, the boy noticed Keya’s expression changed from cheerful to annoyance once she was farther away. As someone of nobility, it made sense for Keya to hold up a façade after experiencing such a humiliating incident.

In the center of town, it started to become even more hectic. The undead soldiers had begun setting the building on fire, hoping to draw the people out, so to kill them. The city guards had fought valiantly, but it was all in vain. Every last one of them was struck down and slain by the superior might of the dead. No reinforcements arrived and so al hope was lost.

“Someone get this door open!” ordered one of the zombies.

Four of them rammed the door, trying to break into one of the smithies. They even used one of their own as a makeshift battering ram, but right when they broke the door down and chuckled in pride…bang! One of their heads exploded. Walking out of the building was a brown-bearded dwarf with a big rifle—a flintlock, to be precise—in his hand.

“That’ll teach ya bassa’s a lesson in reckoning me shop!” said the dwarf. He threw the gun away and pulled out a double-bladed ax from behind before the dead retaliated.

The dwarf started swinging his ax, slicing the zombie soldiers before him as they failed to tear his skin off with their hands and teeth. Right at that moment, the rest of the townsfolk began to fight back, using the weapons they had forged to take back their town while helping the city guards.

Akio, Keya, and Grimhilda arrived on the scene. However, they were surprised at how the townspeople were capable of handling themselves. The boy and the elf’s jaw dropped and nearly hit the ground.

“What the hell?! They have guns…and they know how to fight?!” Akio shouted in quizzical, yet fretted, tone of voice.

Grimhilda smacked her forehead and replied, “Oh…now, I remember! Almost everyone in Strongfair is a trained veteran!” she chuckled and shook her head at the end.

“You couldn’t have said that a while ago?!” Akio retorted.

Instead of apologizing, Grimhilda stated, “You never asked.”

Looking back, Akio took notice of the rifles. He thought: _Huh, I guess this world isn’t just swords and sorcery after all. Even here, guns would exist also. It is like an RPG game!_

Then they heard a loud whistle. It caught the three’s attention as they turned around, seeing Albert waving at them while cutting off a zombie’s head with a claymore.

“Hey! If you three want to help, right now would be the best time instead of clucking like a couple of hens!” said the repair man in a calm, leveled tone.

At first, the three looked at each other before nodding in confirmation. With a loud, “Let’s do this!” from the human boy, Grimhilda and Keya followed behind him as he dashed. Akio unsheathed his sword and began swinging his blade against the dead, which caused them to catch their attention. The dead turned around and drew closer to the boy. Luckily, before they could lay a hand on him, Keya stood in front and held her staff out, attempting to summon [Lightning] again.

“Okay, what was it, again? Oh skies’ breath…no, no! Maybe it’s…by the heavens’ will…”

Closer and closer, the dead were approaching to the young elf girl. When she looked up, her expression fell in fear, quivering and screaming with her staff held up in defense. However, as she looked up, she was surprised to see the dead dropped to the ground with their heads smashed to pieces.

“G-Grimhilda?! You saved me after all the mean things I said to you! Why?!” spinning around to face her, Grimhilda scowled annoyingly. She reached up and flicked her nose, causing Keya to stammer back.

“Ow! What was that for?!” she questioned, rubbing her nose in a frustrating manner.

The dwarf girl smirked with her hammer on her shoulder. Then she replied in a sassy tone of voice, “Geez, you can’t really let anything go, can you! Yes, you set a lot of things that piss me off, but…I can tell you’re a nice girl and that shouldn’t mean I should leave you to die.” Her tone sounded soft and sincere at the end.

Meanwhile, Akio was about 5 feet away from the girls, fending off against twelve skeleton warriors that had just appeared out of nowhere. The skeletons swung their swords and maces at the boy, but luckily their coordination was a little off, giving Akio the upper hand. He raised his sword and slashed his blade across, shattering three skeletons at once.

 _Huh. Well, that was easy!_ Or so he thought, but right when his guard was down, something pounced on top of him and pinned him against the dirt. He struggled to escape the grasp of the zombie soldier that had him restrained as it attempted to sink his teeth into the flesh of his face. Luckily, Akio was able to kick the zombie off of him by the abdomen, knocking it on its’ back and striking his blade into its’ face.

After they had finished clearing up the central district of the city. Akio, Grimhilda, and Keya proceeded to the front gate.

“Come on! We need to put an end to this incursion before it gets even worse,” Akio ordered in a straightforward tone.

“Yeah! Yeah! Don’t tell me what to do, okay! Besides, I doubt the three of us can stop those brutes!” retorted Grimhilda skeptically.

“Don’t be so pessimistic, Hilda. With our combined might, we might have a chance to put an end to this whole ordeal,” said Keya in an optimistic tone.

Grimhilda growled and barked, “With our combined might, we’ll probably die a slow painful death.”

The three arrived at the front gate and watched the surviving city guards fending themselves off against the undead horde. However, they were soon shocked at the sight of the draugs charging and tearing the soldiers limb from limb. One draug grabbed a soldier and lifted him up, gaping his mouth and preparing to take a bite of his head.

 _Please! Somebody, save me!_ The soldier pleaded, hoping that someone, or some god, would rescue him, yet when the draugs’ head came closer, the chances of salvation was dim.

Suddenly, the blade of a sword pierced through the center of the monster's chest, a couple of inches from its' heart. Akio quickly pulled the Blade of Accord out and backed away. He caught the beast's attention and was ready to fight, albeit trembling at the sight of something that big. The draug charged, dropping its ax and reaching its' hands around the boys' neck. 

The boy dodged. He raised the sword and swung it against the monsters' abdomen. However, the draug was indifferent of the blow and thrust its' fist against the boy's stomach, tossing him into the air and landing three feet away onto the ground. He could taste the bile surfacing up from his stomach and into his mouth. When Akio came to, he looked up and was shocked to see the beast leaping towards him. Luckily, he quickly got back on his feet and jumped into the air. Letting out a bellowing cry, he swung his blade a little higher. Slash! The draug’s head fell to the dirt road, causing the body to tumble, as well.

The soldier grimaced and screamed, running far away from the battlefield as fast as he could. Holding his side, Akio motioned over to the monsters' head and chuckled.

“I guess, you won’t be having your meal today, huh?” the draug’s head was still functioning. It looked up and glared as Akio hovered over its’ cranium.

“Who the hell are you?!” shouted the draug.

Grimhilda and Keya stood beside the boy and shared the same scowl while looking down at the disembodied head. Akio lifted and drove his sword through the draugs’ skull, hearing it gripe as it became lifeless.

“Yeah, right! Like we’re going to give a rotting corpse our names,” Grimhilda mused with a cocky grin.

“Keep moving! These bastards are growing in numbers throughout the city! We can weaken their numbers, then they’ll have no choice but to retreat!”

Grimhilda and Keya complied with Akio’s order. They proceeded further to the gates while fighting their way through the undead swarm. When they made it to the entrance, they held their stance and charged, letting out a roar as they stormed out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Akio swung his sword and took out 3 ghouls as they fed on the flesh of a villager, cutting them’ all in half before piercing his blade through their temples, one-by-one. The sight of it disgusted him, but he was able to hide it well through his stoic façade. However, in his mind, he thought: G _ross! Gross! Gross!_

Grimhilda dropped her hammer hard on top of a zombie’s head, smashing its’ brains while letting out a gleeful laugh. She took great amusement in crushing her enemies before her.

She turned her attention to Akio and arched a brow. She remarked, “I don’t know how you can stand this, but it’s impressive that you can look like that while zombie guts are splashing on you.”

“Y-yeah! I-I just don’t let it bother me!” the boy replied with a fake smile. Unbeknownst to the dwarf girl, Akio was trembling in disgust, holding back his breakfast as his face turned a little green.

Keya was standing by the frontline and extended her staff outward before the twenty skeletons and zombies that darted towards her. Without even batting an eyelash, she set them’ all on fire, listening to them wreathe in despair while watching them slowly turn to ash.

“Whoa, you just incinerated them in an instant,” Akio stated, sounding both impressed and terrified.

“These creatures were created from the dead bodies of the innocent, twisted and warped by dark, insidious forces. I merely gave them’ all a proper cremation ceremony, so that their souls may finally rest.” Keya’s expression was stern. Akio noticed her gripping her staff tightly, almost enough to break it, causing crackling sounds to emit from the wood.

“Whoever is responsible for this monstrosity, we must put an end to it.”

With that, the three walked out of the city as they continued fighting their way against the horde. Unbeknownst to the three, a draug arrived behind them, raising his ax and preparing to strike Grimhilda down.

Turning around, the dwarf girl screamed. Akio took action and dashed as fast as he could. However, it wasn’t fast enough.

 _Damn it! I won’t make it on time! Grimhilda’s going to get killed and there’s nothing I can do!_ He was angry at his own uselessness as he berated himself. Just then, a bright yellow light encased his whole body and everything around him started to slow down. _What the hell? What’s going on? I-it’s almost like time is decelerating._ While he was surprised by this bizarre situation, he didn’t care. Instead, he decided to use it for his own advantage.

Before the blade of the ax struck, the dwarf girl was gone, which baffled the monster.

Hilda’s eyes were closed, so she was just as unsure, also. When she opened them, she was shocked that she was about five feet away from where she was before. She looked around and her face blushed.

“A-Akio!” she gasped.

Holding her like a princess was Akio, panting heavily while kneeling down in slight fatigue.

“Are you okay?” he asked in concern.

Her face turned redder. She shyly looked away and mumbled, “I-idiot! I-I didn’t ask for your help!”

The boy smiled. After he put her down, Akio dashed back with his sword clenched tightly and blocked the draug’s attack before it could strike at Keya.

“A-Akio?! How are you running so fast?!” asked the elf girl in astonishment.

“I don’t know how, but I’m just glad I've arrived on time!” He commented, flashing a cocky smile as he held his stance.

Then he heard a chuckle. The boy looked and saw it came from the draug before him. It flashed an ominous grin as it stared at Akio with wide, malicious gray eyes.

It remarked in a hallowing voice, “Do you actually believe you can survive? It is hopeless. All your attempts to end this will all be in vein as everyone you care for, everyone around you, will cry in agony as my people bathe in their beautiful crimson blood.”

The monster’s words brought chills down the boys’ spine. Akio regained his posture and drove his sword straight through the monsters’ heart. The draug screamed in pain. Suddenly, a green light festered from its’ mouth and when it faded, the draug fell to the ground, motionless and lifeless.

“Come on. Let’s keep moving.” The three continued moving as they made their way outside of the city. Time had gone by and the army of the undead slowly decreased in number.

\---------------------

Meanwhile, on top of the hill, Nergal watched Akio, Keya, and Grimhilda battle against his forces, observing each and every move they made. He had caught the young boy’s spectacle earlier and took note of the familiarity of his power. Then he saw the sword Akio was wielding, causing his eyes to widen in fear.

He turned and walked away.

“Umm, sir?” the skeleton called.

Appearing in front of the knight was a tall shadowy door.

Nergal turned and said to the skeleton, “We’re done here. We must report to the Dark Lord. We must tell him…the messiah has returned.” Once he and the skeleton walked in, the door engulfed them and disappeared into thin air.


	9. Chapter 9

Seven hours had passed and by the time dawn had arrived, the invasion was finally over and the invaders were already purged. The casualty accounts wasn’t all that high. In fact, only a few deaths could be counted for collateral damage and were given proper burials after the ordeal had ended while the remains of the undead were thrown on large pyres of fire with the townspeople opening kegs of ale and throwing a victory party. Even some of them began pissing on the bonfires, as well. The blacksmiths began forging the nails and bolts for the foundations while the woodsmen went out to harvest the lumber needed. The healers had set up infirmary tents to provide more room to tend to the injured. Lastly, the carpenters started mending the damages on the buildings that were decimated in the aftermath. It took me an hour to realize the battle came to an end, as there weren’t any of the dead in sight. Grimhilda, Keya, and I separated to help put the town back together, with Hilda and I taking up carpentry while Keya went somewhere else. I wasn’t worried. She could take care of herself.

I was standing on top of a hill, staring at the whole thing while also lending a hand in the reconstruction.

“Akio! We need a hand with this rooftop!” shouted Grimhilda irately.

“I’m on it!”

I climbed up with an arm full of planks on my right shoulder. I handed them to her and she quickly hammered them in before adding the tiles.

Wiping the sweat off of her brow, she sighed, “Woo! That took all day, but it’s finally finished! Thanks for bringing all of those planks, Akio.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m just happy to help,” I replied.

She handed me a water skin. “Here…drink this. You need to keep yourself hydrated,” Grimhilda asserted, avoiding eye contact while her cheeks turned red.

“Thanks, Grimhilda,” I said. I took a sip before handing it back.

“I-it’s not I’m concerned, or anything! N-nobody wants to see a man die of thirst!” she retorted in a shrill tone. I guessed it was difficult for a proud girl like Hilda to express such worry.

I smiled. I never noticed it before, but Grimhilda looked so cute when she’s embarrassed.

“By the way, you’re really good with that hammer and nails,” I commented.

She twirled the hammer between her fingers and smiled proudly before tossing it into the air and catching it like a baton. She replied, “Of course, I am. We dwarves are gifted craftsmen, training since birth to be able to work faster and sturdier to meet our quota. That’s what makes us dwarves the most hardworking race in all of Gaia.” I could believe that she trained a lot to be that skillful. However, the rest of it just sounded like she was just bragging.

I asked, “So, can I do anything else, besides carrying wood and nails. I want to feel more useful than being just a pack mule.”

Snapping out of her fluster, she turned around and stared blankly. Her lips pursed as she pointed out, “I don’t know. We’re almost done with the repairs. Unless you want to help round up every remaining undead corpse around the city, we pretty much have everything settled.” She chuckled at the end.

I didn’t say a word and just shook my head. Then a thought came to me. “What about Keya? I’m probably sure she needs help attending to the injured.” Anything was better than walking around carrying carpentry supplies, except cleaning up dead body parts and cremating them.

She scratched under chin and pondered.

“Okay, fine. Do whatever you want. If you want to hang out with your elven girlfriend, I don’t really care,” she stated passively.

I was a little annoyed at that remark. Narrowing my brow, I fumed as my face flushed. “S-she’s not my girlfriend! We’re just acquaintances, that’s all!”

It’s true, though. I’ve only known the elf girl for only five days, which isn’t really enough time to pursue a relationship…n-not that I want to, that is. However, I’ve noticed Grimhilda’s cheeks turned red, yet again, but I didn’t take it seriously and just brushed it off. With that settled, I climbed down and dashed east, heading towards the infirmary facility.

Along the way through the ruined town, I passed by all the recently marked graves as I heard the crackling of the pyres. I held my breath, trying my best to avoid the miasma of the roasted dead, but holding my breath made it harder to run and I had to stop to inhale.

I stopped in my tracks and stood on top of a hill. Before me was a large tanned tent with a red cross on its’ roof. At the front was a long line waiting patiently for their injuries to be treated. I didn’t have time to wait. So, I started cutting through, ignoring the constant complaints behind me.

“Hey! No cutting!”

“Wait your turn!”

“We were here first!”

When I got to the front, I saw Keya sitting on a stool while nursing a badly injured man with her hands. The man was covered in bandages from head to toe and was unable to move. The elf girl caressed her fingers against his arms with her hands glowing white. Then she stopped and pulled away.

“There you go. Your injuries have healed and you’ll be able to walk again. However, you might want rest for a few days before moving around, first,” stated Keya.

Although she was smiling, she was shaking like a leaf. Her whole body slouched from fatigue as she had trouble raising her arms again.

“Now, get well soon,” she said.

“T-thank you! You’re such an angel!” said the man in a painful moan.

Keya turned around and slowly stood up. She noticed and walked up to me, grinning happily while her eyes were half-opened.

“Keya, are you okay?” I asked.

She rubbed her eyes and sighed, saying, “oh, yes. I’m just a little tired. I’ve used up so much of my mana to treat all these people and it’s taking so much out of me.”

“Excuse me, doctor! The back of my head hurts! Can you take a look at it?!” the elf girl turned around and sauntered over to the bedside of a sickly old man. She felt the back of his head as her left hand glowed, arching a brow while looking puzzled.

“I’m sorry, but there doesn’t seem like there’s anything wrong with your head, sir.” My face fell deadpanned. While Keya was trying to find the problem, that old man was having the tie of his life. The old man’s face leaned in with a smile on his face, taking in the view of the elf girl’s breasts.

“Umm…Keya. Why don’t you take a break? I’ll be sure to treat the patient,” I suggested.

Keya’s face brightened. Standing up, she bowed. “Oh, thank you, Akio! You’re such a true gentleman!” she stepped out of the tent with a cheerful grin. She continued, “I’ll be sure to bring you some tea when I get back!” everyone outside groaned in disappointed. Their “angel” had just disappeared and won’t be back for a while.

Even the old man was sad also. “So…tell where, one your head, does it hurt?” I grabbed the back of his head and squeezed it hard, causing him to gasp in pain as my genuine smile morphed into a devious one. _That’s what you get for being a dirty old man_ _._

30 minutes later, I had finished treating all of the injured that came in, applying any area, even the ones where sun doesn’t shine, with ointment and wrapping it up in bandages. One of them actually enjoyed me treating, which made me really uncomfortable because of what area he wanted me to tend to.

“Hey, Akio. I’m back.”

Walking through the opening was Keya holding two steel mugs with metal lids in her hands. Everyone around them praised and smiled.

“Oh, thank the Creator, the beautiful angel has returned!”

“Please, treat us again with your soft hands, Keya! The boy’s hands are dry and clamming, and he’s got the bedside manners of a dog!”

Keya blushed as her body shifted, becoming flattered by their compliments. I, on the other hand, was starting to get pissed.

“Thanks for the praises, you ingrates!” I yelled sarcastically.

Keya chuckled. She handed me a mug before taking a sip from hers.

She remarked, “Don’t worry about it, Akio. It’s nothing to get your feather ruffled over. Come. Have some tea to calm your nerves.”

I took a sip and was surprised by the taste. “This is good! What is it?!”

“Dragon Lily with a hint of lemon. It’s relaxes the muscles and stimulates the nerves to one a better sense of clarity and rest.”

 _So, it’s like chamomile tea, in a way._ Suddenly, the effects started to kick in. I was starting to feel my eyes getting a little heavy, causing me to almost lose my balance, but I was able to regain my equilibrium and snapped myself before I had fallen over.

“The effect are more potent when drunk by humans, but don’t you feel calm, already?” she mused.

I couldn’t help but glare at her as a small cross-shaped vein appeared on the side of my head. I retorted earnestly, “Easy for you to say. You didn’t almost tip over and fell unconscious on the dirt floor.”

At first, she looked insulted, but at that moment, we both laughed at the top of our lungs. However, we ceased after everyone around us began to stare. Once we finished our tea break, we resumed helping all the patients until it was finally nighttime.

It was time for Keya and I to leave the city. We didn’t have time to stick around for the party, but did stick around to say goodbye. We stood in front of the Faldrum’s house with Grimhilda and Tornstein shaking our hands as we said farewell to them.

“Thanks for fixing my sword and giving us a place to stay, Mr. Faldrum,” I said while shaking the old man’s hand.

He smiled and chuckled. Then he replied, “No. No. I should be the one thanking you and your friend for saving our town from that undead horde.” Suddenly, he ran into the house and returned with a scabbard in his hands. He added, “I’ve been meaning to give you this. It is a customary scabbard I made for your sword. It will make it much easier to carry it around with.”

“Thank you, but I can’t accept it. I don’t have any more money to pay for it,” I refused in a humble tone. We did have two silver coins left. However, we used them to help pay for the town’s reconstruction.

“That’s alright! It’s on the house! You helped save our village and had save my granddaughter. So, this is a gift to show how grateful I am.” He stated.

I quickly attached it on the right side of my waist before sliding the sword inside. It was very thoughtful since I’ve been carrying the Blade of Accord in my belt, but since we didn’t have much money for a customary sheath, I was afraid that with all the running me and Keya have been doing, the blade would’ve cut off my belt and that would be very embarrassing, or dangerous because it could accidentally cut my leg.

I looked to Grimhilda who didn’t say anything. Instead, she just crossed her arms and avoided eye contact, having red cheeks and pursed lips.

“Oh. That reminds me. Grimhilda has something she wants to ask you,” added the old dwarf.

“Grandpa!” Grimhilda fumed.

She took a deep breath and sighed. Turning around, she stood to face me. Then she bowed.

She said in a polite, mousy tone, “I-I wish to join your party, please?”

“W-what?” I mumbled.

It was the first time I had ever saw Grimhilda being so polite, and without her grandfather telling her to be.

“I said I want to join your party, you idiot!” she shouted to the top of her lungs with a flushed face.

There’s the dwarf girl I’m familiar with. However, it wasn’t the response that puzzled me, but why the sudden interest in traveling with us.

“Why are you asking me this?” I said in a quizzical manner.

Although I didn’t have anything against the thought, it just seemed to have come out of nowhere, without warning.

“It’s because that after the whole ordeal, I felt like I didn’t really do much while the whole town was under attack. So, I thought ‘maybe I should go see the outside world and start learning how to fight better’,” she answered.

It was hard not to smile after hearing that. Her tone was so sincere, expressing how much she cares for her home and would like to come back to be more prepared if another catastrophe happens again.

“I also thought that if I go with you guys, I could learn some new blacksmithing techniques. Since I’m technically a journeyman, I still need to hone my skills if I want to be the greatest blacksmith all throughout the continent.” She flashed a cocky grin, extending her arms as she flexed her muscles. From the way they protrude, it was no different from a 12-year-olds’ arm as it appeared to have little muscle mass, but looks can be deceiving from my experience.

Grimhilda’s reason was sensible as while learning to be a better fighter would help protect her loved ones, honing her skills would also help improve her business for when she inherits her grandfather’s smithy.

I turned my attention to Keya to hear what she thought about it. She gave me a disapproving scowl as she slowly shook her head, which was understandable since we’re still working on her prejudice against them. However, having a dwarf in the party would help her get use to being around them more.

However, another thought appeared in my head.

I turned back to the dwarf girl and asked, “What about your grandfather? What does he think about this?”

The old man waved his right hand in a passive manner while the left on top of the wooden cane that supported him. He smiled and shook his head.

He answered, “I’m okay with this. My granddaughter is already seventeen and it’s about time she goes out to see the world. She’s a strong girl. So, she’ll be able to take care of herself.”

My smile was replaced with a deadpanned expression. _Some grandfather of the month, you are._ He did have a point, though. Grimhilda would be able to handle any sort of ordeal that would come in our way if she followed us.

I sighed in defeat. Pinching the bridge between my eyes, I complied, “Okay, you can come with us.”

The dwarf girl’s cheeks lit up as she shrilled. She ran up and embraced me around my abdomen, having a smile on her face and tears of joy running down her cheeks.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

Her grip tightened like a cobra. It was getting harder to breathe and it felt like my spine was about to snap in two. She was just like a normal teenage girl, getting all excited from getting what she wanted.

“Can’t…breathe!” I begged for help from Keya who was taken aback.

The elf girl leaned over and tapped on Grimhilda’s shoulder. She smiled weakly as beads of sweat fell from her forehead.

“Umm…Hilda, you might want to ease up on your strength. You’re suffocating Akio,” she pleaded.

Taking notice, Grimhilda stopped and pulled back, scratching her right cheek as she chuckled in embarrassment. I gasped as I inhaled while my sides sored, feeling like a compactor crushed them.

“Sorry about that. I just forget my own strength, sometimes,” she apologized.

I replied, “That’s alright. It happens to the both of us.” all we could do from there was to laugh it off while relieving the tension in the air. After that, we got our things from the guest room and once Grimhilda got the essentials she needed—sleeping bag, clothes, soap—we said goodbye to Tornstein and headed out.

20 minutes later, we left the city through the back entranceway, south from where the front gate was located. We walked through another forest, strolling across the cobble stone road while gazing at the trees that illuminated in the moonlight.

“You know, we didn’t have to leave so soon. We could’ve just stayed for the celebration,” Grimhilda suggested.

“We could, but if we stay too long, then we might miss the opportunity for any quest that might spring up,” I stated. I rubbed my chin and thought for a moment. I continued, “Then again, we could’ve stayed and try some of the foods they were serving.

“Oh yes. It would have been nice to try some vegetarian cuisine that was being served by the residential elves. It’s been so long since I had some fried rutabark kimchi,” Keya remarked. I didn’t know what a Rutabark was, but if it was made into kimchi and the way Keya’s drooling over it, then it must be good. However, I would have to hold that thought after I try some.

“Maybe, we could try some of the beer also.”

Then I heard Grimhilda snicker and then laugh, which was pretty annoying since it was directed at me. Wiping a tear from her eye, she argued, “doesn’t even consider it, Akio. The beer produced in town is made from dwarven brewers! If a human or an elf consume some without experience, then they’ll have to deal with hours of stomach cramps, dizziness, and irritating headaches!”

“What about the wine? Who produces that?”

Grimhilda ceased laughing and her jovial expression was replaced with a deadpan. She lifted her hand out and rotated it in a so-so manner as her face contorted. “Eh. That stuff is imported from Ero Yalth. It’s harvested from berries grown in the mountains and produced by the elves before distribution.” For a moment, I was worried Grimhilda would make a snide comment about the elves, but instead she asked, “So, where are we going to next?”

She walked with her war hammer over the back of her neck with such carelessness while her arms hung on the top of the handle.

I pulled up the map from the back of my palm and skimmed. “According to the map, we’re going to...Paradiso. Unfortunately, like Strongfair, there doesn’t seem to be a guild office anywhere in the vicinity. Hopefully, we’ll find some sort of quest without a bulletin board.”

“You’re going on an adventure without knowing what it is. Doesn’t that seem a little reckless and stupid?” her tone became deadpanned as she glared at me.

Rubbing the back of my head, I flashed a half-hearted grin.

I responded with a chuckle, “Yeah, but at least it gives us some experience when exploring our range. Who knows? Maybe, our next adventure will fall from the sky.”

Suddenly, we heard a scream coming from out of nowhere. Then a figure fell from the sky and landed with a thud before us. We were shocked while our mouths fell agape, especially Grimhilda’s who was just eating her own words. Rubbing her head and groaned, the figured stood up and stared at us like a deer caught in headlights. It was a girl with brown hair and square ears.

“Did that girl literally fell from the sky?” Grimhilda questioned in disbelief.

“Goodness. I hope she’s alright,” Keya worried.

“I don’t know. Let me go check and see.”

I strutted carefully towards the girl before lifting her back on her feet. I was still surprised that a total stranger had just fallen out of thin air, but it was still the right thing to help her up. Her hands were soft and sweaty with her body trembling in nervousness. Her face turned a little red as she stared directly into my eyes.

“Hey, are you okay?” I asked.

She nodded her head in response.

Then she snapped out of her daze. The girl pulled away, gnawing at her thump in anxious quiver. Under her breath, she muttered, “Oh no! I’ve been discovered!”


	10. Chapter 10

“Okay, spill it! Why were you following us?!”

There we were. Standing around a strange girl who fell out of the sky with Grimhilda constantly pestering her with questions until she broke. We were in the forest and surrounded by the tall trees, about five feet away from the main road, so to not draw attention from any of the passerby’s for what we were about to do.

“Please! I’m sorry for stalking you all! Just let me go and we can forget this whole thing ever happened!” pleaded the girl with tears in her eyes.

12-minutes-ago. Right after the incident, the girl became fidgeted and started backing away from us.

She muttered something about “Being discovered”, which made us think she’d been following us. She’d tried to escape, running with quick speed like a rabbit, but Grimhilda was able to tackle her to the ground. the girl was able to put up a fight, kicking and struggling to push the dwarf girl off of her. I even heard Grimhilda screamed as the strange girl bit her.

Luckily, the dwarf girl was able to easily overpower her while producing rope that seemed too big to fit in her backpack. Now the girl was tied up and ready for questioning.

The girl was terrified. She trembled as the ropes vibrated around her body. Grimhilda’s terrifying gaze would bring shivers down her spine as she continued to harass her. Even the square-shaped helixes on her ears began to shake also.

“You better start talking or you’re not going to see the light of day, Halfling! You know how we dwarves like to dig!” Grimhilda threatened with a devious grin.

I interjected in a calm tone, “Hey, Hilda. Don’t you think you’re taking this a little too far?”

“Not really. I haven’t even gotten to the part that I was going to bury her up to her neck in dirt in the middle of nowhere for the wild animals to devour her head,” Grimhilda retorted.

The Halfling girl was freaking out as she started trembling more than before while beads of sweat fell from her face.

“Okay! Okay! I’ll tell you everything! Just, please, get this crazy dwarf girl away from me!” the Halfling girl pleaded with sobbing breath.

The three of us turned back to the girl and looked flabbergasted. Grimhilda, on the other hand, just flashed a smug grin with her arms crossed directly at me. I just deadpanned in response.

After we untied the Halfling girl, we waited for her to make a run for it since she now had the opportunity to escape. Fortunately for us, she just stayed still with a blank expression on her face.

“What?” she asked.

She noticed the paused stares we were giving her as she tilted her head to the side.

Arching an eyebrow, I replied, “Nothing. We were just expecting you to…you know, escape?”

She puffed her cheeks and scowled in offense while crossing both arms over her chest. She argued, “How rude! We Halflings keep our promise! If I say I’m going to tell you everything, then that means I’m going to tell you’ all!”

She coughed in her hand before she regained her composure. Then she introduced herself, “My name is Leni Faldoy and I am an agent of the Human Coalition.”

My face glared at the mentioning of that name

Leni continued, “I was sent by the Council to discreetly follow you and monitor you to determine if you are the one.”

“The one what?” I inquired.

“The one who was chosen to be the messiah, of course! The one destined to save the world from the Dark Lord!” Leni’s tone changed from a formal voice to that of excitement. “Honestly, I’m just so delighted to finally meet you! It is an honor to be in your presence!” her eyes lit up with sparkles in her pupils. Getting up off her stump, she kneeled down before me like a subject kneeling before her king.

I was starting to get uncomfortable. I didn’t know how to react. Snapping out of my perturbed stance, my eyes widened and my mouth fell agape. I inquired, “Still, what does saving the world have to do with me? How am I the messiah?”

“You’re the messiah because the Council was the one who summoned you,” she stated straightforwardly.

My face completely fell blank from hearing that and I became flabbergasted. My tone became aggressive as I blurted out, “You’re the reason why I’m in this world?!”

I realized my words and turned back to Keya and Grimhilda who were staring at me with confusion.

“What do you mean ‘in this world’?” Keya questioned.

I wanted to come up with an excuse. Maybe, something to make her forget what I had said, but it was too late and I held on to that charade for far too long.

Taking a deep breath, I looked Keya straight in the eye and confessed, “I don’t have amnesia and I’m not from this world. I’m from another world called ‘Earth’ and I was brought here through magical means I don’t even know how.”

It felt like an entire weight was lifted off of my shoulders. Frankly, even if Leni hadn’t showed up, Keya would have figured out sooner, or later. She is a smart girl, to be precise.

Keya’s eyes scowled. She walked up to me with such encroachment before raising her hand. Smack! The left side of my face stung. I didn’t flinch because I knew I deserved it. Looking back at Keya, I saw that in her eyes she was hurt and that’s understandable. Then she proceeded to trot pass me and further into the forest.

Reaching out my hand, I tried to stop her until I felt something tugging at my side. Looking down, I saw Grimhilda shaking her head at me.

She said somberly, “Give her time to cool off, Akio. Betrayal is the one thing a girl has difficulty to handle.” Then her expression changed to a snicker. She added, “Honestly, you told her you had amnesia and didn’t tell her the truth that you were a visitor from another world?”

I replied, “If I had told her the truth, she wouldn’t believe me and assumed that I was crazy.” My tone was monotonous while I gave the dwarf girl a deadpanned stare.

Grimhilda held her smirk for a minute, but soon dropped it as she grimaced and rubbed the back of her neck. She remarked, “When you put it that way, it does make since to lie.”

I nodded.

Suddenly, we both turned to Leni with raised eyebrows, watching her standing still with her arms hanging down as she gave us a perplexing look.

“By the way, what are we going to do with her,” Grimhilda asked. She pointed at the Halfling girl with a scowl.

Letting out a sigh, I sauntered over and stopped in front of the Halfling girl. I said sternly, “Have you confirmed that I’m really the messiah?”

“Yes. I believe you are, but it’s not my job to declare it,” she said.

“How do you know I’m what you say I am to be?”

She told me to look at my sword, which I unsheathed and examined. According to Leni, it belonged to the previous messiah that came before me and was left behind for anyone worthy of wielding it, which meant someone who was capable of taking down the booby-trap that was set up.

“What do you want from me?” I inquired.

“I want to bring you to the Human Coalition, so they can judge whether you truly are the messiah, or not.”

I remembered hearing that name since the goblin village incident and hearing it again only made me angrier. However, taking another deep breath, my tone became even more serious.

I said in an inquisitive manner, “If I go with you and see the Human Coalition, does that mean they’ll have the answers I need for why I’m here in the first place?”

At first, it seemed like I didn’t care, but everything I had endured, it made me wonder my purpose in this world. I knew how I got here, but I didn’t know why I was here.

“The Representatives who run the Human Coalition will tell you everything you need to know,” Leni nodded. A light grin grew on her face as a sober expression appeared. “However, to receive the answers you seek, you must prove to them that you are the messiah, yourself. My word alone is not good enough because I am just a mere scout.”

“How would I prove to them?”

“You must take a series of tests to show them. Are you certain you want to meet with them?”

I nodded. The smile on Leni grew wider.

“Excellent! Now, I won’t get punish for failing my mission!” she started clapping her hands ecstatically like a happy child.

At that moment, I was starting to have second thoughts, but I managed to put it aside, for now. Suddenly, I noticed the land was starting to get dark. I looked up in the sky and saw the sun setting over the horizon.

“We’ll be setting up camp here. Grimhilda, watch after Leni,” I ordered in a passive manner. I started walking into the forest without looking back to the Dwarf girl.

I heard Grimhilda respond quizzically, “What are you going to do?!” her tone became louder as I distanced further.

“I’m going to find Keya!”

She had been gone for about 30 minutes, which was far too long to be in the woods. Especially, if it was beginning to become dark and once it gets dark, then who knows what strange beasts would lurk around the vicinity.

I wandered through the area while scoping my surroundings, passing by every tree, and stump, and rock in search of the elf girl, calling out her name while making sure that I wasn’t too far from the campground.

 _Dammit! Where the hell is she?! It’s getting late and I’m starting to get worried!_ The frustration was starting to get to my head. I stopped in my tracks and let out a heavy groan while crushing the bridge between my eyes.

Grimhilda said that she needed time to cool off, but what if me lying actually affected Keya in such a tremendous way that she was so disgusted by me that she ran away? Suddenly, I saw a figure sitting on a stump about 10 feet away from where I was. I gingerly got closer and finally felt relief.

“Keya?”

She was sitting cross-legged on a stump with her hands on her knees and her staff on her lap. She was in some sort of meditative trance, hearing her breathe in and out every few seconds. She seemed calm. Unfortunately, the scowl plastered on her face said otherwise.

I waved my hand in front of her eyes. I asked in a soft tone, “Hey, Keya. Are you okay?”

“Go away, Akio!” she hissed through gritted teeth. Venom seethed from her words.

I took a step back and let out a sigh. I bit the lower part of my lip as I rubbed my other arm in an anxious manner. I apologized with sincerity in my voice, “Keya, I know you’re still mad at me for lying and deceiving you. I want to apologize for that and want to become completely honest with you, for now on. The only problem is…if you are willing to forgive me?”

Her eyes finally flew open, yet her glare didn’t fade. She got up off the stump and stood with her arms crossed and lightly shook her head. “Akio, you have lied to me since the day we’ve met and I’m not sure if I can forgive you, or trust you. I have always hated people lying to me, especially when it’s from people I once considered a friend.” Her scolding was very passive-aggressive, but it was enough to make me feel even guiltier than before. She continued, “Ever since I had left my country, I thought that people out here would be different from all the bald-face aristocrats within the kingdom, but I can see that even the outside world is just as worst.”

I explained, “Keya, I wanted to tell you, but…”

“…But what?” she repeated. Her tone became demanding as she interrupted.

“I was just scared of losing you. You’re the first friend I had made in this world and if I told you the truth, then you would think I was crazy,” I stated. My voice was very honest and I could see Keya softening with her scowl fading away.

I with a frown on my face, I turned around and began walking away. I stated, “I get the jest of it. I’ll get out of your hair, and make sure you’ll never see me again.”

“No wait!”

I halted. I felt something clasp against my right hand. I turned my head to see Keya staring at me with the most earnest expression as her cheeks turned red. Letting go of my hand, she wrapped her arms around my waists and held on tightly. My face flushed from feeling how warm she was.

She smiled while moving a strand of hair from her face. She assured, “You can stop feeling bad about yourself. I forgave you for lying to me a few minutes ago.”

“Then why did you look like your were about to rip my head off?”

“I wanted to make you work for it. I mean, at first, I was mad at you lying to me, but then after everything we went through, I could tell that you truly were a good man and that you wouldn’t do anything to hurt me, or anyone else. Also, now that I think about, hearing that you came from another word would make you sound crazy.” The way she giggled at the end of the sentence made her sound so cute.

“That’s what Grimhilda said,” I commented.

Shrugging her shoulders, she smirked and replied, “Well, I hate to admit it. She is pretty insightful when she isn’t so hotheaded.”

We both laughed at that remark. If this was an anime, I could picture Grimhilda sneezing at the same time as saying that statement.

“Still, I can’t believe you’re the messiah!” Keya screamed ecstatically. She was like a fangirl after meeting her idol.

Scratching my left cheek, I chuckled as a droplet of sweat formed on my temple. I said in a nervous tone, “yeah, it’s a surprise to me, as well.” then I asked, “By the way, what is this whole ‘messiah’ thing?” In jewish tradition, a messiah was the Israelite concept of an epic hero while, in Christian tradition, it was the name for Jesus Christ after being declared king of kings, but in Asura, I doubt it had the same meaning.

Keya’s eyes rose from my question, but she brushed it off with a smile. She answered while still maintaining her cheerful tone, “The messiah is a hero of all heroes, chosen to save this world from the oncoming storm! When the Dark Lord, or the Demon King, begins to terrorize the world, the Messiah comes to save all from desolation!” Well, I guess there were some similarities.

 _Wait! Did she just say “Demon King”!_ My face turned to stone in trepidations. Usually, there would be a demon king in certain fantasy stories and anime, but I’d never expected one to exist in this world.

“S-so, who decides who gets to be the messiah?” I asked.

“Well, it’s mostly the Human Coalition who decides who would become the new Messiah since they are the most powerful to summon a candidate to take up the mantle. However, in the beginning, there were other kingdoms that would summon heroes. However, that came to an end thousands of years ago when the first messiah established the Coalition. Since then, every nation on Gaia agreed that all summonings will be performed by the HC, but only if a great threat arises.”

That was a lot to take in. everything Keya explained was like that light novel I read. Hopefully, I won’t be falsely accused by a horrific crime and I turn into some sort of dark hero who seeks vengeance on those who had done him wrong. Suddenly, Keya and I realized how late it was.

We proceeded back to camp. Keya and I were flabbergasted from what was before us. Surrounding the vicinity were tents made of animal skin and held up by sticks. In the center was a bonfire with three logs around it. Lastly, hovering above the fire was a spit roast and hanging from the metal rod looked like a large skinned bird, cooked and ready to be eaten.

Our mouths nearly dropped to the ground, but we quickly snapped out of our daze when Grimhilda approached us.

“There you two are! Do you have any idea how hard it was to set everything up while you two were off settling your lover’s quarrel!” Grimhilda admonished.

My face turned red as I exclaimed, “We’re not lovers, Hilda!” even Keya’s face became redder than before.

Grimhilda chuckled. She waved a hand and remarked, “Lighten up! I’m just messing with you two!”

Keya and I didn’t even respond. We just stared at the dwarf girl with a deadpanned expression.

“By the way, Grimhilda. Where’s Leni?” I asked.

“Oh, she’s in the middle tent.” Hilda pointed her thumb behind her.

Stepping out of one of the tents, Leni proceeded to the bonfire as she stood before us.

“I see you two have returned. Have you two finally made amends?” she inquired in a friendly tone.

“We have. So, what now?” I asked.

“Now, we rest and, in the morning, we’ll head to the Council’s headquarters. Anyway, let’s dig in!”

Sitting around the bonfire, we began taking chunks of the bird’s meat. Leni was the first to take one of the legs, which angered Grimhilda dearly. Apparently, it is customary for the one who prepared the meal first to have the first bite, according to Dwarf culture. The only one not enjoying anything was Keya who scooted far from sitting circle to get away from the smell. Once we finished, we went straight to bed. Keya and Leni slept in the tent on the right, Grimhilda was in the middle, and I slept on the left.

The next day, we’ all traveled up north through the forests, passing by every moss-covered rock and oddly shaped tree that was in our path. It took us 12 hours and 3 miles to reach our destination, and we only stopped twice to catch our breath. Finally, standing on top of a cliff, we arrived out of destination.

“Here we are! The city of Arcadia!”

Standing before us was a city that was made entirely of silver, having the sunlight shining against the walls, so intense that it was almost blinding. However, most of the buildings were in ruins with holes on the sides of the skyscrapers and much of nature taking back the land.

I was baffled. I assumed that the Council was located in some busybody city, but that city looked like no one had lived in it for a very long time. I looked over and saw that Grimhilda had the same expression as I did. Keya, however, looked like her head was about to explode.

She gasped and turned towards Leni. She shouted, “Arcadia?! The Arcadia?! Are you saying we’re in the abandoned city of Arcadia?!”

“Okay, I’m confused. What the hell is Arcadia?” I asked.

Key turned to me and replied, “A long time ago, before the Dark Lord rose and before the Human Coalition was founded, wars waged amongst the other races. To finally bring peace to the lands, the nobles throughout the continent plotted to create a large city where all races could reside—A utopia, to be precise. After the city was built, it was soon populated by every known race throughout the continent of Gaia.” Then her smile faded into a glower. She continued, “Unfortunately, that all came to an end a week later as series of violence, racial tensions, and cultural discriminations broke out, and soon the city was abandoned and left to decay.”

Looking back at the ruined city, I can understand how it was such a pipedream. Such things like racial tolerance and multiculturalism would take time to be integrated, and to force it would cause certain backlash. It’s the reason why every utopian plan in my world had failed as everyone’s individuality and ideological differences had cause tensions to rise. My face frowned as I took in a deep breath.

“So, this city is the HC’s headquarters?” tilting my head to the side, I was confused as to why they would use such a place as a center.

I turned my attention to Leni and waited for her to respond. She nodded and answered, “Of course. After the Arcadia project faltered years ago, the Human Coalition decided to use the city as a gathering for the representatives of all twelve human kingdoms.”

An ancient city used to hold a powerful continental empire; it was like the city of Rome during its heyday as the capital of the Roman Empire, except it was still decrepit and unpopulated like it was after it’s fall. We then proceeded forward, walking down a mountain trail until we reached the entrance of the city. At first, I was finally happy that all my questions would be answered. However, I started feeling like me and my friends were crossing the Rubicon at this point.


	11. Chapter 11

“I can’t believe you actually are the messiah? I just thought that was a myth,” Grimhilda remarked. She was strolling beside me on my right while looking up at me.

It was hard to take her seriously due to her picking her nose and flicking whatever she found, which made me cringe in disgust.

Shaking the feeling off, I shrugged my shoulders and flashed a half-hearted grin. I corrected her, “It’s not really official. So, I’m not sure if I’m the messiah, or not.”

“Well, from seeing you in action, I am certain that you are indeed the chosen one,” Keya assured. The smile on her face was small, yet very heartwarming as her cheeks turned red from her flattery.

I smiled back as I rubbed the back of my head. However, I stopped after hearing Grimhilda groan in irritation.

Turning back, I asked, “So, Grimhilda, you don’t believe in a messiah. Does that make you an atheist?”

Grimhilda waved a hand before interjecting an “eh”. She stated earnestly, “Not really. I believe in the gods of my ancestors, I just find the whole ‘savior of the world’ thing ridiculous.” Her face cringed while shivering. Then she continued, “then again, after the whole debacle with the undead yesterday, I might need to keep an open eye.”

I chuckled as I shook my head, seeing how cute Grimhilda’s timid expression was. I wanted to mention that to her, but I was afraid she’ll hit me below the belt if I do so.

Walking through the city, our feet treated across the cobblestone road, looking around and taking note at how much the city had fallen apart. As I said before, Arcadia was in ruin with gaping holes in the skyscrapers and nature retaking the land from the manmade constructs. However, that wasn’t the only thing that infested the city. Looking up, I noticed a menagerie of various animals such as birds and wolves. Luckily, we made sure to keep our distance without alerting their attention.

Strolling next to Leni, I turned to her before looking back. Then I asked, “how long is it until we get there?”

We’ve been wandering the city for an hour since we hiked down the cliff and that was the one rational question that popped into my head.

“We’ll be there shortly. Right now, we have to make sure we don’t alert the…” a loud howl came from the distance, sending shivers down our spine as it grew louder. Leni’s voice trailed as she continued, “…wolves. Ah, oh.”

From left to right, a large pack of wolves appeared around us, staring at us with hungry eyes and getting ready to attack.

“This isn’t going to end well,” I remarked.

We’ all got ready to fight. I drew my sword and held it in defense while my face glared in determination. Then the wolves charged. Three came at me with their fangs reeling to bite. I quickly swung the Blade of Accord below their stomach, watching them bleed until one of them sunk its’ teeth against my leg. I wreathed in pain before kicking the wolf off. I could feel the blood seeping out from the teeth marks on the back of my leg. I slashed underneath as five more wolves came right at me, enabling me to maim their legs before they could strike. I tried my best to hold back, only grazing and maiming the creatures until they ran away. However, I wasn’t sure how long I could manage doing so.

Looking over, I saw that Keya, Grimhilda, and Leni were having the same level of difficulty as I was. Raising her staff, the elf girl chanted something arcane and Mystical before lightning surged through her fingers and electrocuting seven wolves coming towards her. She seemed to have gotten a hang of using that [Lightning] spell, apparently. Suddenly, one leaped up to her, but she quickly repelled it by holding her staff up as it sunk its’ teeth onto the wood.

She was terrified with her eyes bulging. She screamed, “The way they are attacking us is so violent and powerful?! Normal wolves shouldn’t be able to have such feasts” she managed to fling the wolf off her staff. However, three more came in its place as her guard was left open.

“Quit yer griping, princess! This is the best fun I’ve ever had!” cheered Grimhilda. Swinging her war hammer, she was able to take out five wolves at once without receiving a scratch on her face.

Suddenly, one of the wolf’s claws slashed against her right cheek, leaving a small mark as it bled. She cringed in agony while holding her hand up against it before one of them pounced on top of her.

“Hilda!” Keya and I screamed in unison.

Our faces widened in shock as we tried to reach to Grimhilda’s side. I managed to stay as calm as possible. I didn’t want a repeat of what happened earlier at the goblin village. The dwarf girl blocked the creature with the handle of her war hammer. She was terrified. I could see it in her face. Keya arrived on time, knocking the beast off of her while having a fierce look on her face.

“Now, we’re even,” she asserted.

Grimhilda was left baffled, but snapped out of it as Keya helped her get back on her feet. I watched them resume their fight as we made our stand against the wolves. Suddenly, I heard an unfamiliar battle cry coming from behind me. I turned around and saw Leni holding twin daggers in her hand while charging into the fight, acrobatically leaping away from the beasts’ strikes before landing several piercing blows against their backs and abdomens. I could see so much ruthlessness in such a small girl as she unleashed it onto the wolves.

“Damn, girl! I did you learn to do that?!” I asked with my mouth gape. I quickly struck one of the wolves in the abdomen, leaving it bleeding as it ran away in fear.

“Let’s just say that there is a lot of training to do when you are an envoy to the Human Coalition!” she concluded, gritting her teeth while having a fierce glare. She was taken aback by one of the wolves’ attacks, but was able to block it on time.

There were too many of them. We were unable to keep up against the cur as they advanced further in numbers. By that time, I was afraid of losing hope and only one thing to turn to. _Please, God, If you are up there, then get off your lazy ass and do your damn job!_ If faith doesn’t work, then I was out of options

Suddenly, we saw a bright yellow light flashing into the air, which somehow caused the wolves to stop. Then they’ all began to dash away from us and retreated into the city, all at once. We were all left befuddled by such a spectacle. Just one flash of light caused hundreds of wolves to skirmish back into the ruins without any sign of returning. The only wolves that remained were the ones that were either injured, or dead, which the pack didn’t bother to take care of and just left them all behind.

“Finally! You have arrived! It’s a good thing I signaled the ‘parere wolves’ to cease their attack, or else they would have torn you’ all limb from limb. We set up that little test to see if the true messiah would be able to deal with such a small obstacle, but I can see you have managed just fine as we expected.”

All four of us turned and looked up to the balcony of the skyscraper behind us, which had much of its’ top removed with only six of its’ floors still intact. Staring down at us was a figure dressed in a red robe with its’ face concealed under a red hood. Her hands glowed the same color as the ball of light that flashed before, meaning that she was responsible for creating it.

“We have been waiting for days for you to arrive. Leni. Do you have anything to say for this inconvenience?” the hooded figure questioned. The figure’s voice sounded very posh and feminine.

Leni eyes widened when she looked up with her mouth falling completely agape. Her body started trembling as the grip on the handles of her daggers loosened and both blades fell onto the ground.

The rest of us remained calm, yet stern, while looking at the robed figure. From the state Leni was in, I could tell this person was a member of the Human Coalition and possibly someone in a very higher up position.

“R-Representative Almas! Forgive me for the prolongation of my arrival, but I needed to make sure that I brought the right messiah, ma’am!” Leni apologized with a stutter. She knelt down with her face staring at the ground. I noticed beads of sweat falling from the Halfling girl’s face as her lips quivered in trepidations. I was right. This woman must have a high position to make someone like Leni grovel on her feet.

Waving a hand, Representative Almas dismissed her before pulling down her hood, revealing a very stern demeanor with short brown hair and green eyes. Then she remarked, “There is no time for that. We will discuss your incompetence later. For now, the rest of the council is waiting to meet the messiah.”

“Of course, your ladyship. I will bring them in, at once.”

With a nod of he head, Leni stood up and began moving into the tower. Grimhilda, Keya, and I followed behind her, trudging through the double doors as we became astounded by the extravagant décor surrounding us. The wallpaper was colored salmon with a golden floral pattern that amplified the aestheticism of it. On the floor, there was a crimson carpet and hanging on the ceiling were silver chandelier with diamonds hanging on them as the candles lit to bring light throughout the hallway. I assume that the tower must have been built for socialites for some form of gathering.

“This way.”

The representative guided us down a spiraling staircase behind a 15-foot-tall door made of what appeared to be oak with a silver frame and two knobs with rubies embedded. We climbed down for 30 minutes. It felt like it was reaching deeper into the earth’s crust, descending about 2 miles without stopping.

Finally, we arrived to the bottom and compared to up top, we were surrounded by gray stonewalls that have been moist and weathered from the hands of time while moss and mushrooms grew from the lower and/or upper areas. Even the floor was wet with some of the water still lingering.

“What is this place?” I asked.

“This is where you’ll meet the rest of the council,” answered Representative Almas. She didn’t turn her attention towards me as she continued walking with the sound of her heels echoing throughout the corridor.

At the end of the hallway, we’ all sauntered into a capacious room that was the size of a sports arena. Lights shined all around us from the ceiling.

I held my hand up to my eyes, shielding them from the room’s luminosity.

“It’s so bright! It’s like staring at the sun!” I heard Keya squealed as she cringed in pain.

“Yeah! Can you cut off the lights! I think my eyes are starting to bleed!” Grimhilda demanded. She hid behind the elf girl to give herself some shade.

Finally, the lights began to die down and we’ all could see clearly now. It was being emitted by a large crystal that was hanging on the ceiling, glowing intensively based on Representative Almas’ hand gestures. Suddenly, I saw eleven figures appearing before us on top of a balcony, staring down on us with their faces covered under their hoods.

“Finally, you have arrived! To think, we were giving up hope that you would show up!”

Removing his hood, one of the other representatives removed his hood, exposing his large fat face before fixing the comb over on his head.

He continued, “I am Representative Kar from the Kingdom of Gallia, and the head of the Human Coalition’s Council! Welcome, heroes, to our main chambers!”

“You have already met the wolf queen Representative Almas of the Kingdom of Gehasst. Let’s let the others introduce themselves to you,” he stated with a gesture of his hand to his colleagues. One by one, the fat man began introducing each representative to us, addressing both their names and countries they represented.

Once they had finished, we started introducing ourselves as well. I walked up and said in a calm, yet loud, tone of voice, “My name is Akio Yamazaki from the planet Earth. I’m the warrior and leader of this party and apparently I’m your messiah.”

Keya moved foreword and curtseyed with a smile on her face. When she spoke at them, her voice was very polite and august with an earnest expression, “Salutations. I am Keya Aieandora of the Elven Kingdom of Ero Yalth and mage of this party. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Grimhilda’s introduction, on the other hand, didn’t really make a good impression for all of us. Placing her war hammer on the ground, she slid her hands into her pocket and swaggered up with a bored expression on her face. She held her hand up and shouted with a large monkey grin, “Oi! The name’s Grimhilda, daughter of Svorg the War King and granddaughter of Tornstein the great forger! This is the first time I’ve met the old farts that run this shitty organization!”

Me and Keya’s jaws immediately dropped to the ground, gasping a long exacerbated breath until our eyes turned white and the areas of our eyes became blue with shock. We quickly grabbed her and covered her mouth, dragging her away and covered her mouth before she said anything else while we apologized to the council as we bowed our heads.

From the look on their faces, they were not amused in the slightest, glaring daggers at the dwarf girl and, presumably, at us for not keeping an eye on Grimhilda’s big mouth.

Seething with rage, I looked at the dwarf girl while gritting my teeth. I admonished in an inaudible tone, “What the hell was that all about?!”

My hands were still on her shoulder, feeling her body tensed up with her cheeks turning a little red. Since she’s a young woman, or a crazy girl-child, I guess being touched by a boy would make her feel uncomfortable.

“I’m j-just speaking my mind out, that’s all! Is that a problem?!” she argued. Her lips pursed in annoyance as her eyes beamed directly at mine.

I exhaled my breath and placed the palm against my face. I looked away from Grimhilda and back to the council.

Their faces were left unchanged. The biggest rule when it comes to nobility is to not get them angry or there will be major repercussions. The atmosphere was starting to get tensed, as everyone remained silent. Luckily, I saw Leni able to break the ice.

Clasping her hands, she sauntered over and grinned earnestly. Then she suggested with a droplet of sweat forming on her temple, “So…shall we get started with the tests?”

Representative Kar brushed his fingers against his mustache as he let out a huff. Furrowing his brow, he agreed with a stern demeanor, “Indeed. Let us begin with the initiation to see if you are truly the messiah we have summoned to this world.”


	12. Chapter 12

3 hours later, after meeting with the council members, my friends and I were taken to another part of the catacombs. The place was built like a maze, taking us from one corner to another if we not careful. Even the councilmen had gotten themselves lost once, or twice, and they’ve been dwelling there for years. Finally, we found our way to where we wanted to be. We entered another large room with a giant crystal on the ceiling. However, this room was different as it had a bizarre pentagram that was drawn on the floor. Our feet scratched against the chalk.

I examined the floor as I arched a brow.

_What is this; a transmutation circle?_

If I remembered correctly, this was the part where the big bad would sacrifice the hero to create the Philosopher’s Stone, but I digress and am just letting my fantasies get the best of me.

The circle was large with a pentagram drawn inside in an inverted angle. Inside the edges were a series of arcane symbols written in a language that was completely alien to me. Then again, almost everything in Ashura is still alien to me. According to the representatives, this was the same circle they used to bring me to their world, which surprised me as my eyes widened bewilderment.

I was taken aback when I saw Keya’s eyes grew wide as stars twinkled in her pupils and a huge smile formed on her face.

“Keya, are you okay,” I inquired. My tone had softened from becoming surprised.

She turned her attention to me while retaining her expression. She answered in astonishment, “Okay?! I’m more than okay! This summoning circle is made from magic that hasn’t been practiced since the Age of the Ancients! I’ve once read a book about ancient magic and knew that only the most prestigious of magicians can use it, but I’ve never thought I would see an example of it with my own eyes!”

First, the fact that I was the messiah made her ecstatic and, now, ancient magic. Sometimes, I wonder if Keya is just a little girl in the body of a full-grown woman.

“Keya, how old are you?” I asked in a puzzled tone. My eyebrows arched as I stared at her.

“I’m 127-years-old,” she said straightforwardly. Her head tilted to the side as she stared back.

My jaw immediately dropped as I gasped. I shouted, “Don’t lie to me!”

“I’m not. We elves have a very long lifespan and can live to be about 10,000 years of age.” Her expression fell blank, almost like it wasn’t a surprise that I wasn’t aware. However, I could still tell she was a little unnerved by my reaction as evident by the droplet of sweat on her temple.

Despite looking to be about my age, she was twice as older than my grandmother. I knew that elves and their immortality, but that didn’t stopped me from being taken aback because, honestly, would anyone else react differently, besides other elves?

“Ehemm!”

Snapping out of my befuddlement, I turned around with my face met with Representative Kur’s whose position remained outside of the circle. His expression was just as rigid as Representative Almas, having the line of his mouth set in such a manner.

“If you are done with your…conversation, then we can get on with the second test,” he demanded. His tone of voice sounded calm with an impatient undertone.

Walking up to us, the representative held a wooden box up to us. He explained in a straightforward tone, “This box contains a familiar that will examine the contents of your [Spirit]. That way, it will determine if you are spiritually the messiah.”

“Is this anything like reincarnation?” I inquired. My brow arched in curiosity.

“Not quite. This is mainly to see if your [Spirit] has the same quality as your predecessors. It has nothing to do with you being someone reborn,” the representative corrected. Then he proceeded onward with the test.

However, when he opened the box, what came out was not a spirit, but a series of tentacles. Keya and I were taken aback as we screamed with our eyes turned white as droplets of sweat appeared all over and our mouths dropping in angst. Even Grimhilda and Leni looked unnerved as they became blue with shock as well.

“What the hell is that?!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.

I wanted to decline if that was really the test because I have seen enough hentai to know what will happen next.

I was then relieved when the representative closed the box and pulled it away. He apologized, “Oh, sorry. My mistake. That’s the box where we keep one of the most ancient, and dangerous, beasts in the world imprisoned, which we really need to label.” Handing it to one of his colleagues, he reached for another box and although it looked the same, the only difference was that on the top was covered in gold laces. He continued, “Here is the real box that will determine if you really are the one.”

I held my breath in hopes that it wasn’t something else weird and unusual. Opening the box, a flash of blue light emanated out from inside as an apparition appeared before us.

It was a beautiful woman with long light-blue hair and gray translucent skin and black lips. She was dressed in a long white veiled gown with a single long glove on her right arm and a blindfold around her eyes.

She introduced herself in a monotonous tone, “I am the Oracle. After these thousand years, it is a pleasure to meet you, at last. Now, let me peer into your soul and see if you are what I expect.”

She trailed up with her bare feet touching the floor. My body trembled in agitation as her hand reached out and phased through my chest. The feeling of her hand was cold as ice. Suddenly, I felt an aura of blue energy shrouded around me while my sight became white. Seconds later, after I came to, everyone looked around me, giving me expressions of awe and terror.

My eyes raised in confusion. I questioned with a frown, “Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“You don’t know?! When that phantom lady touched you, you were floating with blue lights and everything! There was even a large ring of energy around you!” Grimhilda stated, having loud tone of voice with a shocked expression.

Keya quickly interjected, “After the spirit finished, she said, ‘it is good to see another one, again,’ before retreating back into the box.” She had the same expression as Hilda’s on her face. She added in a somber tone, “I’m just happy you weren’t hurt in the end.”

“What do you mean? I was only out for a few seconds!” I questioned, becoming perplexed as my eyes rose.

“More like an hour! You were stuck comatose while that ghost pried through your chest,” Keya concluded. My face immediately dropped as my shoulders slouched.

Apparently, during my “examination”, the representatives told Grimhilda and Keya that if it didn’t go thoroughly, then I would have died from immolation. I shivered at the thought of my body self-combusting and turning into ash. At that moment, everything went silent.

Representative Kar then sauntered up to us with a smile on his face. Waving a nonchalant hand, he said with a calm demeanor, “Well, now that that ordeal is out of the way, how about you and your friends get yourselves some sleep, Akio. It has been a long day and the next test will be much more tiresome tomorrow.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

30 minutes later, I was lying on a soft bed in a small room built for two people, staring at the gray stone ceiling while waiting for someone to arrive. The council had assigned us rooms for the three of us to spend the night. Fortunately, Keya and I have been paired as roommates while Grimhilda has become Leni’s. So, that means there won’t be blood spilled tonight. However, that’s going to be a problem for me, though.

“I’m coming in now.”

The door opened. Keya walked in the room with her nightgown on and plopped onto the bed on the right. I tried averting my eyes away below the skirt before she crossed her legs. Her face blushed as my eyes returned to her gaze. The amount of awkwardness in the air was quite heavy as I felt my shirt collar choking around my neck.

“So, this is it, huh?” Keya mused, twiddling her fingers while flashing a meek smile.

Arching a brow, I became confused by her remark. I asked, “What do you mean?” then my face turned even redder. “D-do you mean…”

“No! No! Not that! I’m talking about tomorrow being the final test!” she corrected herself. She waved her hands as beads of sweat fell from her brow.

I smiled, inhaling and exhaling my breath. I was relieved that she wasn’t talking about doing “that”. Then again, the way she was talking and how sexy she was dressed did send some mixed signals for me. However, Then I remembered that she was twice as old as my grandmother, which made it feel weird as I cringed.

“Yeah, it is. I’m not sure what it will be, but it must be something extremely rigorous and scary for it to be the final test,” I stated. That was just my guess, but it would make sense.

I head Keya sigh before she started staring at the stone floor. She looked sad with her eyelids remaining half-open while her shoulders hung low.

“You know, what’s really scary is what comes after this? I mean, do we keep going on our quests at the guild, or do we part ways?” she questioned. I could see the twinkle in her eye as she lay down on her bed, turning her attention to the ceiling like a patient at a therapist’s office.

She continued with both arms around her chest, “Akio, even though we haven’t known each other for a short period, I really did enjoy all the time we spent. I’m just afraid that it’s going to come to an end and I don’t know what to do afterwards.”

Scratching the back of my head, my face made the same expression as the elf girl’s. Then in idea popped into my head as I said, “Maybe, it doesn’t have to end right away. How about we spend this time getting to know each other a bit more.”

She jumped up at the suggestion and turned back towards me, leaning forward with her eyes sparkling in excitement. She wasn’t even aware that I noticed her cleavage puffing up at my face.

“You’re right! We really don’t know much about each other!” She repeated earnestly. She caught on where my eyes were staring at and quickly readjusted her top.

She asked, “So, where do we start?”

“How about you tell me about where you came from? What’s your home like?” I said inquisitively.

“Well, like I said on the day we met, I come from the kingdom of Ero Yalth, the home of all of the high elves. It is a land of lush greens, surrounded by ancient trees with buildings of stone that could touch the sky. Surrounding the boarders are large blue crystals that are connected to the world’s lay lines, syphoning the mana from the soil and generating enough power to shield our kingdom,” she explained descriptively. Her tone was mild and calm, having a placid expression on her face.

My brows furrowed, thinking about what such a country would look like as a mental picture appeared in my head. It was good distraction from staring down at “You know what” and I found it relaxing listening to the elf girl.

“What about your family? What are they like?” I asked.

She shrugged and bit her lower lip. She replied, “They’re just like any family, frustrating and hard to handle while not passing a minute to embarrassed on another.”

“Well, you’re also of nobility, but how far up are you?”

“Let’s just say we are very high up in the hierarchy.”

“So, tell me about your home. What is Earth like?” she inquired with a wide grin.

My eyes widened. I pondered on how I would explain what my world is like, but since she was an elf and since her people are into nature, I’m afraid of what her reaction would be like. So, I started slow and worked my way up to the horrific parts.

Rubbing the back of my neck, I said with a trail in my voice, “Well…in my world, we don’t have any magic and only humans exist. There are no elf, dwarves, or the undead, and we rely on science and technology to guide our lives.” From the puzzled look on her face, I could tell she was perplexed as her eyebrows rose in response. Then I continued, “Many humans live in cities filled with skyscrapers made out of stone and concrete, and are powered by electricity, which is sort of like my world’s version of mana but more complicated and more environmentally hazardous.”

“What do you mean by ‘environmentally hazardous’?” Keya’s expression became more perturbed as her brow arched.

“What I meant was that all the energy we get is from the earth, as in we harvest it from the resources we gather and, as a result, we expel it into waste, which is harmful to the environment,” I explained with my face glowered. Keya’s face immediately fell with her mouth agape, which seems to be a reasonable reaction.

Placing her hand on her face, Keya frowned as she sighed. She stated, “In other words, the humans of your world act more like the humans of this world. You take everything as your own without thinking about the consequences and not even concerning about how much you’re harming the world.” Her expression changed to that of anger and contempt as her brow furrowed while I watched her hands gripping together, so hard that I saw blood trickling from her nails.

“Keya? Are you okay?” I reached over and tried to place a hand on her shoulder.

The elf snapped out and released her hands, taking notice of the scars that she made on her hands. Her face returned to its sunny disposition as she nervously waved a hand dismissively.

Keya said earnestly, “Oh, nothing. It’s just something personal I was murmuring to myself. It’s nothing you should be concerned about.” Her face began to sweat as she waved a nonchalant hand.

She asked, “So, what did you do before coming to our world? What was your life on earth like?”

I answered her straightforwardly, telling her about my life while trying to explain it as best as I could and trying to keep it as simple as possible. I told about how I was a junior in high school and also clarifying what high school was. I also told her about my life at home and how my parents are never home as they constantly worked, which…made it very lonely for me. Although I was smiling, my eyes were completely different as they became sorrowful.

That’s when Keya beamed a sympathetic gaze at me as she reached out to hold my hand. The softness of her fingers made me feel a little bit more uplifted. That was all we needed to learn about ourselves for the time being. Once we had finished, we blew out the kerosene lanterns standing at our bedsides and went to sleep.

However, while I was lying in bed, I felt something sneaking into my sheets and laying right beside me in probably the middle of the night. The room was too dark and I was too tired to see who it was. The feeling was all too familiar like the touch of a woman, but my face dejected in disbelief as my eyes-widened.

 _No. It couldn’t be her._ I felt a hand sliding over my chest and something soft and squishy against my back while a pant of breath exhaled against the back of my neck, sending shivers down my spine but in a nice and amorous way.

Then something slithered down into my pants and onto my manhood. The feeling of five appendages wrapping around my cock caused me to quiver. Keya’s hand on my rod was a surprising feeling, especially since her hands were so soft and warm. She started stroking up and down in a gentle motion. I pursed my lips shut, making sure I didn’t utter a peep to alarm her. Suddenly, her speed increased, pumping it faster as it pulsated. Then I erupted and splurged in my boxers and possibly all over the elf girl’s hand before she pulled it away.

Ignoring it as best as I could, I tried to go back to sleep, closing my eyes tighter in hopes that it was all just a dream and this feeling was all a part of my perverted subconscious.

My eyes flickered open as they darted to the clock on the wall. Since there were no windows in the room, I couldn’t tell if it was morning or still midnight. Luckily, there was some light coming through the crevasses of the door, giving me enough to see that it was now 7:56AM. I leaned up and attempted to turn on the lamps, but felt some heavy clinging onto my body. Then a moan was expressed. When the lights came on, my whole face turned white as I saw Keya’s arms around my abdomen.

 _Oh god, so it really was Keya and it wasn’t a dream_! I panicked. My teeth starting to chatter while beads of sweat fell from my brow. Both of her hands were dry, which meant she must have wiped my spunk off before going back to sleep. I attempted to move her away but every time I tried to gingerly pry her off, she would slowly wiggle and tighten her hold as she smiled affectionately.

Suddenly, my worst nightmare had come true. Keya’s eyes fluttered open in the most alluring way possible. Her face turned crimson as she jumped up and covered herself with my sheets.

“Akio?! What in the name of the spirits are you doing in my bed?!” she screamed, scooting inches away and leaning close t the edge. She made sure to have one hand on the nightstand, so to not fall off.

I waved my hands non-threateningly as beads of sweat fell from my brow. I said with a panicky undertone, “Keya, this isn’t your bed! You climbed into my bed and slept the entire night!” I guess she might have crawled in subconsciously. “You even did some…stuff to me as well! Don’t you remember?!”

Throwing the sheets over, she quickly got up and prepared to storm out while having a miffed expression on her face (which was red with embarrassment). “L-lies! A maiden like myself would never do something so lecherous!”

I leaped up and attempted to stop her, so that I could explain the situation better. Suddenly, my foot got tangled in the sheets, causing me to trip and reached for anything to break my fall. Sadly, I wished it wasn’t Keya’s nightgown for when I heard the shoulder straps break, my eyes widened as her gown fell down to her legs. Right before my eyes was the body of a goddess with smooth, porcelain skin and big bell-shaped bosoms that looked like ripened fruit from the Garden of Eden. However, when I turned my attention below, a yellow bush that glistened like her hair obstructed my vision.

I could feel my face turning extremely red while feeling the blood coming out of my nose. Keya cringed in horror when she looked down, covering her chest with her arms before screaming at the top of her lungs, “Pervert!”

You can guess what happened next. I watched her body glow and after that, everything went dark.

20-minutes-later, I found myself dressed and sitting at a table with Keya and Grimhilda as we ate our breakfast, and the only thing that was on my mind was how much my face hurt more than my body.

“Okay, seriously! What the hell is wrong with your face?!” Grimhilda pointed out in a perturbed tone. “With all those bumps, it’s like you got attack by ravenous monster raspberries, or something!”

Grabbing a silver spoon, I looked at my reflection and was taken aback by the state of my face. She was right; I did look like a monstrous raspberry had assaulted me from how my face currently resembled a bloody one.

“Indeed, I might have over did it, but you still deserve it after looking at me naked!” Keya stated, having a bashful face while avoiding eye contact. She was right. I did deserve it, but that’s what happens when you’re a victim of circumstance.

I felt someone kick me on the side of my right leg. When I turned, I received a deadly glare from Grimhilda that read, “Drop dead.”

“Lecherous creep!” I heard her muttered under her breath.

Just then, we saw Leni staggering over to our table and taking a seat at the end with her head down.

I said with a friendly grin, “Hey, Leni. How’d you sleep?”

“Good.”

“Do you want some breakfast?”

“No, thank you.”

“Is there anything wrong?”

“Yes, there is.”

The entire conversation just turned one-sided. Taking a deep breath, Leni looked up, becoming unnerved by the bags under her eyes as she looked at me. She said somberly with heavy eyes, “There’s something I need to tell you’ all.”


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

 

It was the middle of the night. The halls were quiet and the catacombs were nearly dark with only the dim lamplights giving off illumination. Leni strolled down the hallway and tried to find her way to her room where Grimhilda was staying in. Being a Halfling, she was not used to underground travel as her people usually stayed above ground and around rural areas. Grimhilda, however, was a puzzle for her because she was amazed how easy the dwarf girl found her way.

“Living in mines and caves, I guess catacombs are easy for the dwarfs,” she remarked to herself.

Suddenly, something caught her eye. At the end of the hallway, there was a glow coming from behind a well-decorated door. She crept over as quiet as possible and looked through the opening.

 _This is the councilors’ meeting room. Why are the lights on this late in the evening?_ She started hearing noises and saw all twelve of the councilors gathering around a circular table.

“Well, my friends. Everything is coming together as according to plan. The Messiah has completed two of the tests and now the…third one will commence,” said Councilor Kar wicked smile.

“Indeed, Kar. Little does that introverted brat knows that the test is just a ruse,” confessed the councilor next to Kar. “The messiah has always been a hero of all, but once he dons the armor we prepared for him, he will obey our every command and only ours.”

The councilors chuckled in unison. It was like listening to a pack of hyenas while they gathered around their prey.

Grabbing a goblet and drinking the wine from it, Councilor Almas sneered while bearing her teeth. “What about the elf or the dwarf? What shall we do with those sub-humans?”

“We’ll find some use for those two. I can think of a number of uses for the elf girl, though.” Kar licked his lips of the thought and he wasn’t the only one. Some of them had the same idea, as well.

Leni cupped her mouth and trembled. She slowly backed away and quietly sprinted, making sure she didn’t make any noise to alert them of her presence. She tiptoed and found her way to her room.

“Hey. What the hell took you so long, Leni? It’s almost late and we need to get up pretty early tomorrow.” Grimhilda lay on her bed and looked to her roommate after she entered the room while she turned her attention away from the book in her hand.

Sweat dripped from the Halfling girl’s head. She didn’t want to tell Grimhilda what she found out to avoid starting trouble. Not yet, that is.

She lied and said, “Oh, it was nothing! I just got lost and it took me awhile to find the way!” It was half-true though.

Then Leni proceeded to her bed and got under the covers. She turned to the side and stated, “Well, I be going to bed, now! Goodnight, Hilda!”

She turned off her kerosene lamp and closed her eyes, oblivious to the baffled dwarf girl who stared with an arched brow. However, Grimhilda shrugged and returned to her book: _It’s not my Fault I’m a Dwarf Girl in Love_. Then a thought came to her head. Putting the book down on the nightstand, she turned around and sat at the edge of her bed.

Grimhilda looked at the supposedly sleeping Leni and fidgeted her fingers. She was never good at opening up to people, but after watching Leni kill those wolves she had developed some respect for her, and for Keya to an extent.

“Why are you working for the Human Coalition? Aren’t Halflings supposed to be working in the fields and lay around, and stuff?” Grimhilda pointed out with a blank expression.

Leni broke from her façade and flashed an irked glare. She lurched up and crossed her arms by her bedside. “For your information, not all Halflings are like that. The assumption that all Halflings are farmers is just a narrow-minded stereotype formed by accounts made by idiots.”

Grimhilda shifted uncomfortable under her blankets with raised eyebrows and a large droplet of sweat forming on her temple. She really hit the nail on that one. She waved her hand and then corrected herself. “What I mean is. I always thought you were all pacifists. I have never seen a Halfling fight like you did or being so skilled in tracking us.”

Leni scratched her head and looked away. She sighed, “I don’t want to talk about. It’s a long story and I just don’t feel comfortable about it.”

Grimhilda shrugged her shoulders and smirked. Waving her hand, she remarked, “I don’t mean to upset. I was just curious, that’s all.” The dwarf girl put her book back into her rucksack, turned off the lamp on her nightstand, and crawled into her bed covers.

The Halfling girl did the same and closed her eyes. Unfortunately, throughout the entire night, her dreams were plagued with the thoughts of the Council’s skullduggery, hearing their words echoing in her mind. She even saw scenes of Akio under their control and not only slaying the Dark Lord and his forces, but also watching him lead the army of the Human Coalition across the continent of Gaia in a war of dominance. The screaming sounds of pain and despair filled the air while Leni smelled the scent of blood and burning flesh that filled the air. By the time morning came, Leni didn’t receive a wink of sleep as bags formed under her eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sitting with her friends, Leni told them everything and their response was a mixture of both betrayal and horror with their mouths nearly dropping to their food and their eyebrows rose.

“You can’t be serious?” Grimhilda said in disbelief.

“So, their true goal was to use me for some hegemonistic ulterior motive? That’s what these tests were really about?” there was rage in Akio’s eyes. He had never felt so betrayed and used, it was almost sickening.

“I can’t believe they would do this,” Keya murmured while she clutched her staff tightly.

Leni’s face remained low while she grimaced. She replied, “Yes, it’s true. That was their plan all along and the only way to avoid it is to escape from the Citadel. I know of a secret passage that will lead…”

“Wait! Why should we believe everything you’re saying?!” Grimhilda pointed her finger at the Halfling girl as she accused. Fury filled the dwarf girl’s eyes as her nostrils flared, causing Leni to seep back into her chair in fright. “You told us the Council’s plan, yet you have been working for that group for gods knows how long, and we should just listen to you?!”

“Grimhilda would you keep your voice down!” Akio scolded in a whispering tone. He reached and covered the dwarf girl’s mouth while he looked around to make sure no one heard them.

“It’s not Leni’s fault that we got duped! We were all puppets in their little game!”

Keya turned to the human boy sullenly and narrowed her brows. She grimaced, “What are we supposed to do, Akio? If we keep playing their game, then we’ll just be giving them what they want.”

“I don’t know, Keya. I really don’t know.” Akio responded sullenly while he let out a deep sigh.

Suddenly, Keya raised her hand and spoke up. She leaned in and proclaimed, “I know a way we can all avoid going through with their agenda.”

They all leaned in and listen. Keya made sure to be as quiet as possible while she whispered into their ears. She even paused and looked around, being very careful to not let any outside party eavesdrop on their plan.

“Okay, here’s what we will do…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akio and his friends walked into the summoning room without the need of an escort. Their expressions were blank as they stood within the circle. However, the one thing they noticed that was different was a full-body suit of armor made of an unknown metal that resembled iron or silver.

“Welcome, messiah! We are so glad you could be with us at this precious moment,” greeted Councilor Kar. The grin on his face stretched almost to the point of touch his earlobes while he stretched his arms like a preacher.

Shrugging his shoulders, Akio grinned as he looked up. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” He seemed to be excited. However, deep inside, all Akio could only feel contempt brewing in his system. _Yeah, that’s right. Keep smiling, you lying piece of shit._

Clasping his hands, the councilor gestured a hand down to the armor. “Today will be your final test. The armor you see before you is the Gordian Armor that once belonged to the previous messiah. Like the oracle and the sword, it will determine whether you are worthy, and once it has synchronized with your mana, the armor will grant you immeasurable power that you would become a god among men.”

Grimhilda couldn’t help but scoff, but then quickly hid her response with a cough. She cringed while rubbing her throat. “Sorry. I’m coming down with a cold.”

The councilor arched a brow while his smile faded a little as he looked at the dwarf girl.

“Now, let us proceed with the test, shall we?”

Akio’s smile grew while his eyebrows narrowed.

“Yes. Lets. Keya, now!” he ordered.

In a flash, Keya cast a lightning spell, aimed her staff, and shot a bolt strait at the suit as it exploded into pieces. This action shocked all twelve of the councilmen as each of their jaws nearly dropped to the ground.

Councilor Kar growled. He stared daggers directly at Akio and his party while receiving the same glare from them as well.

“What the hell have you done?!”

“We know the truth, councilor! We know that the armor was a fake and was created to control me once I put it on, using my messiah title to amplify your influence over the entire continent!”

“Yeah, we even know about what you sick perverts plan on doing to us afterwards!” Grimhilda cringed and shivered in disgust while she rubbed her arms.

Although it wasn’t like her, Keya couldn’t help but comfort the dwarf girl by gingerly patting her on the back. Grimhilda cheeks turned a little red and tried swatting her hand away.

Stepping forward, Akio horizontally swung his arm in emphasis. He drew his sword and pointed it at the council. “No more! Did you really think you could get away with something so unscrupulous and underhanded?! If you really want to force us into submission and do your bidding, then come down here and make us!” a hint of venom seethed in the boy’s tone, his eyes narrowed with flames of fury festering in his pupil

This struck a chord with the council. All twelve of them leaped off their balcony and landed right in front of the party. They each formed a battle stance as Kar sauntered over to Akio. In his cloak, he drew out an ivory wand while it glowed blue.

He raised it and roared. “If that is what you wish, then so be it!”


	14. Chapter 14

Colorful lights danced around as the sound of blades striking at one another echoed. The air was filled with dust and debris and the summoning room was nothing but rubble. It was hard to see what was going on with all the ethereal smoke around me, which was a big disadvantage for what was coming my way as its pungent smell burned my nostrils. Jetting towards me was a beam of blue light, which I dodged but not before feeling its burning touch graze against my right leg. The pain subsided, but the irritation remained. I landed back on my feet and raised my sword. Turning to my right, I saw Grimhilda holding her mallet up and slamming it to the ground, sending out a three-way wave of rigid stones to burst out of the floor and straight towards her five opponents. She called that move the "triple-wave cataclysm", which fit the attack perfectly.

Unfortunately, she wasn't able to hit them as one of the councilmen raised his hand and generated a force field that protected them from the dwarf girl's attack.

"Oh, come on! You got to be kidding me!" shouted Grimhilda. Raising her eyes, she stared in bewilderment with her arms falling and her mouth agape.

They quickly retaliated with one of them summoning a whip from thin air and striking Grimhilda against the side of her face. They sent the dwarf girl flying as she landed five feet away from where she was standing. her war hammer was knocked out of her hand and had the air knocked right out of her.

I wanted to run towards her and lend her my assistance. Just then, the sound of static appeared behind me. I spun around and stopped to see Keya waving her staff as she tried to summon her power. However, with lightning speed, one of the councilmen dashed towards her and slammed his fist against her abdomen. She gasped with her eyes widened. She fell to her knees and coughed while making a retching sound.

"Keya!"

My heart sank at the sight of it. Seeing her graveling in pain was unbearable to while hearing her gasping for air made it even worse.

"Seriously?! Is that all you've got?! I thought you, elves, were the masters of magic, but here I am fighting an amateur little girl!" Swaggering up to her was the burly councilman who knocked her down. His tall stance towered over the petite elf girl as he extended his large hands wrapped around her head. Lifting his leg, I writhed at the sight of him slamming her face against his knee, knocking a tooth out of her mouth while droplets of blood spilt all over the floor.

The sight made my blood boil. kicking my heels, I dashed right at the guy with my sword raised and ready to strike. The guy took notice of me and dropped Keya hard on the ground. I slashed by blade up, but my eyes widened when he blocked my assault with the side of his arm. There wasn't even a scratch on him or any sign of blood dripping.

He snickered with his brows narrowed. He grabbed the back of my head and brought it close to his face. "Did you really think it would be that easy to hack me up! My combat magic allows me to shield my body from any oncoming threats, and even if someone like you was capable of inflicting any damage, then it would be no different from a mosquito bite!"

The man mused, which was very unnerving. Seeing my sword baring grazing the guy was like trying to injure Achilles. Cocking his hand back, he threw me across the room with all his might and I landed on top of something small and skinny. I leaned back up and rubbed my head. it was throbbing and the landing might have given me a concussion. I placed it in front of my view and cringed at the sight of blood on the palm of my hand.

Suddenly, a groan alerted me. I looked down and was shocked at what I saw. I had landed on top of Leni who was completely out cold with her clothes ruffled up and the blades of her daggers scattered all over the floor in pieces. I got up and helped the Halfling girl get back on her feet. "Leni! I'm so sorry! please, wake up!" I attempted to shake her awake, hoping that she would snap out of it, but the only thing that came out was a painful moan.

This was a nightmare. Everywhere I turned to, all of my friends were getting pummeled to the ground and we were about to be massacred with ease. I underestimated these councilmen and the power they possessed. Suddenly, my body tensed when a maniacal laugh appeared behind me.

"Do you see the difference of power you have compared to the awesome might of the council?" I snapped my neck around and glared. Representative Kar sauntered over with his hands grasped together. the grin on his face was wide and terrifying, which was befitting for the fat slime ball. "the plan was perfect. You got into the suit, we take control of your body, and you herald a new age for mankind in Ashura. When you think about it, everything that has befallen onto your friends is all your fault."

I scowled while I gritted my teeth. I wanted to punch him in his sorry face and knocking out all of his teeth. However, the more he talked, the more I was starting to think he was right. if I had just complied, then none of this would be happening to my friends. _Knock it off, Akio! Don't let his words get to you! He's just trying to gaslight the situation just to make you feel guilty!_ I clenched my fists in anger and hissed.

Representative Kar reached down and offered me his hand, wanting me to take it as a gesture of compliance. "Now, why don't you surrender yourself to the council and I swear we will spare your friends' lives."

I looked him right in the eye and from the glimmer I could see the deceit. That was the final straw. I quickly swung the back of my fist directly at his face and watched him tumble aback while he placed a hand on his face. The widen grin he had disappeared and was replaced with a toothy frown, which was much more disturbing than his smile.

"You little bastard! You'll pay for that!" he threatened. Raising his wand, it bgan to glow as it charged. Then he pointed it at me and fired a beam.

I braced for impact as it came right at me. Suddenly, a voice appeared from out of nowhere. _Shield yourself, young fool. Don't let that corrupt bureaucrat best you in this battle._ It was coming from the sword and, out of desperation, I complied and followed its' orders. I raised the sword up to my face and watched as the beam bounced off the blade, ricocheting away and colliding with both sides of the room.

The blade glowed blue, having absorbed a partial of the energy. _That's it, boy. Now, focus on the blade and give that bloated pig a taste of his own medicine._ Where the hell was this voice a couple of days ago, during that zombie attack was what I thought. Watching the representative taking a step back, I could see the fear in his eyes.

"No1 that's impossible! Someone of your caliber isn't supposed to master the sword's absorption technique!" Sweat began to fall from his brow. He was losing his composure, becoming intimidated by the power I had shown.

"You used deceit and trickery to bend me to your will, and you even sunk so low as to endanger my friends." I strutted over with my blade grazing onto the floor. Sparks flew of the metal from the friction against the stone. Baring my fangs, I glared right at the fat bastard and raised my sword. "Just who the hell do you think we are?!"

I horizontally slashed my blade, watching a wave of energy emit out of it and striking the councilman right at his abdomen, sending him flying straight in the air and slamming him onto the wall where the patio stood. The battle ceased as the councilmen and my friends stopped and turned their attention towards me. I smirked coyly while I stood straight up with pride.

The rubble started to move. rising out of the debris, Representative Kar stood up and staggered. "You, insolent peasant! How dare you lay a hand on a noble like me! You'll pay for this, I swear!" He was bruised and bloodied with his robe ripped and tattered from the impact. However, I could tell he was still capable of fighting from the way he retained his battle stance. He wasn't the only one who was miffed. The other councilmen were already coming at me and, with their combined might, they were able to do me in with ease.

I gazed at the blade and saw that it was still glowing, albeit faintly. There wasn't enough energy left to fight them all. So, an idea popped into my head. pointing my blade upward, I concentrated with my brow furrowed and my breathing slowing down. The light of the blade began to glow brightly and it fired like a pistol, blasting a blue ball of energy up into the air and turned to my friends.

"Keya! Shield your eyes!" she immediately complied and closed her eyes. since the other two were knocked out, I didn't have to worry.

I covered my eyes and a loud explosion appeared followed by a series of screams and wails.

Once it was over, I uncovered my eyes and looked around. All twelve members of the council fell to the ground while they wreathed in pain.

"I can't see!"

"My eyes!"

"What's going on! All I see is whiteness!"

"It's that damn brat's fault! When I find him, I'm going to wring his neck!"

Taking this opportunity, I ran over and helped Keya up.

"Keya. Are you okay?" Her face was swollen on one side with blood trickling from her lips and her right eye turned purple. I saw a tear trail down her cheeks, which she wiped off before wincing from touching her bruise.

"Y-yeah, I'm alright. come on, let's get the others and get the hell out of here before the councilmen recuperate." I grabbed Grimhilda while Keya grabbed Leni. Then we sprinted out of what remained of the summoning room and straight down the hallway. We didn't where to go as we turned to the first corner we saw. if we had a map of the catacombs, then it would have been easier to find our way out.

Up in front of us was a fork in the hallway. We didn't know whether to go left or right "I think it's this way!"

"You think or you know!" Keya retorted.

"Can't you just give me a little faith! I'm sure that this is the right one on the left!"

"Hey! I'm not the one who got us right back to the summoning room after turning to the right corner!"

"Give me a break! Anyone could make that mistake!"

We were so determined to escape that we started getting frustrated by the lack of results. It wasn't easy moving around when you're holding a dwarf girl in your arms like a baby while had her war hammer tied to your back. Keya was no different either as she had Leni on her back, giving her a piggyback ride as she carried her around. Luckily, the bickering came to an end when we heard voices coming from behind us.

"They're down here! I can hear their voices bouncing off the walls!"

"Hurry up and capture them before they escape!"

putting aside our argument for later, we both took a right and ran as fast as we could through the halls.

30 minutes had passed and we finally found our way out of the catacombs. We stopped to catch our breath as we stood outside at the tower's entrance way.

"Are you good?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm good."

Keya nodded. The bruise had open and blood started to trickle down her face. I needed to get her away, so that we could treat it before it got infected. Getting back on our feet, we continued on foot and nearly reached out the city. Sadly, it wasn't going to be that easy. A howl emanated from the distance and the two of us halted. Behind us was a large pack of parere wolves counting by the hundreds and with their eyes glowing blue, they were ready to advance as they growled furiously. Then we heard a maniacal laugh in the air. Our faces became pale as we saw representative Almas standing on top of the skyscraper's balcony with a shiner on her face and a missing incisor.

"You fools didn't think you were going to make it out here that easily, did you? Now you will know why they call me the 'wolf queen'." She blew her fingers to a high frequency and all the wolves charged at once. We were too weak to fight. So, we ran away as fast as we could.

Passing through the fence that surrounded the city, the two of us spotted a dark opening within the trees. We dashed through the woods, a mile away from the city and didn't stop for a breather. Zig-zagging throughout in hopes of finding a good hiding place. The barking got louder and louder, telling us the wolves were getting closer. We examined the vicinity, but couldn't find any cover to no avail.

"Akio. What do we do?"

"I don't know, Keya. I seriously don't know."

Finally, our prayers were answered. We sprinted to the left and jumped. The sound of water splashing appeared while we submerged ourselves. Opening my eyes, I was surrounded by a large body of water and, fortunately, Keya was floating beside. We held our breaths and waited for the wolves to overlook us and leave five minutes went by and we need to ascend to the surface before we both ran out of air. Luckily, the pack left and probably returned to their mistress. Getting out of the lake, we staggered back on dry land and inhaled the sweet, sweet oxygen around us.

We looked at one another and laughed. "That was a close one. I thought for sure we were about to get mauled."

"Well, at least we can put this whole ordeal behind…" Just then, a cough was heard. Keya and I gasped at the sight before us.

Grimhilda was gargling on the water that she had inhaled and was spurring erratically. Leni was the same as well, and we were frozen in place on what to do. The two were still unconscious and while they could still breath, they were completely oblivious to their surroundings. We gingerly lowered the dwarf girl and the Halfling girl onto the ground and was about to perform CPR. The only knowledge I had was from television, which might not be the best source, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Prying Grimhilda's mouth open, I took a deep breath and exhaled it between her lips. Then I softly pushed against her chest to get her lungs working again. Over and over, I kept on trying, but she didn't wake up and throughout the process, a wave of guilt struck me like a freight train. _This is all my fault. I wasn't strong enough to save any of you._ Keya was saddened by the sight of my tears as she frowned.

On the fifth try, Hilda coughed and spat out the water in her lungs. Her eyes fluttered open and she weakly reached out for me.

"Akio? Wha…what happened?"

"Oh, thank god! You're alive!" I cheered while I hugged the dwarf girl. I was waiting for her to push me back. Instead, she returned the embrace.

A few minutes later, I did the same to Leni. Grimhilda's eyes widened in confusion, but when Keya informed her that I did the same thing to her, her face turned red and crawled under while she laid on the ground in a fetal position. Right after I placed my lips onto her for a third time, I noticed her eyes were open as her body began to jerk. I moved away with a shocked expression and felt the sting of the Halfling girl's hand smacking against my face. "W-what do you think you're doing?!"

"S-sorry! This isn't what it looks like!" I said while I rubbed the side of my face. Waving a hand nonthreateningly, I did my best to calm her down as she motioned away with her fists barred. "You drowned and I was trying to save your life!"

"By taking advantage of me while I was unconscious?!" I could see this was not going anywhere. Fortunately, Keya and Grimhilda (who was still embarrassed) stepped in and defended me. The elf girl and I filled the two in on what happened and both of them were dumbstruck. Leni turned her attention back at me and thanked me for saving her life.

Letting out a deep sigh, Leni grimaced while she pursed her lips. "So, what are we going to do now?"

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hi everyone this is kman134 here with a new story "Ashura:A World of Swords and Magic". So, a couple of my fantasy-bawd sword and magic stories didn't come out a good, but after doing extended research in the MMORPG field, i wanted to give it another go. no more academies, no more post-apocalyptia, just good ol' cliche "real-world hero travels to sword and sorcery world, joins guilds, forms harem parties, and destined to fight greater evil".


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